Ford and Dow Developing Cheaper Carbon Fiber

Ford Motor Company and Dow Automotive Systems have announced they will be collaborating on development of new carbon fiber components for use in cars and trucks. The aim is to get the cost down.

Ford says that weight reductions of up to 750 pounds (340 kg) on future Ford vehicles are key to meeting fuel economy and electric vehicle range targets.

"There are two ways to reduce energy use in vehicles: improving the conversion efficiency of fuels to motion and reducing the amount of work that powertrains need to do," said Paul Mascarenas, Ford chief technical officer and vice president, Research and Innovation. "Ford is tackling the conversion problem primarily through downsizing engines with EcoBoost and electrification while mass reduction and improved aerodynamics are keys to reducing the workload."

"Vehicle weight reduction for our customers through intelligent design with a materials focus has been a priority for Dow Automotive Systems," said Florian Schattenmann, director of Research and Development for Dow Automotive Systems. "This partnership with Ford on carbon fiber composites is a logical next step to progress already achieved through the use of lightweight, high-strength polymers and structural bonding technology."