Cars and trucks could become lighter and more fuel-efficient under a joint partnership announced last week that makes use of research conducted at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
The joint partnership between Ford Motor Co. and Dow Automotive Systems seeks to develop low-cost, high-volume carbon fiber composites for next-generation vehicles. It will leverage work that The Dow Chemical Company has already begun through partnerships with ORNL.
Ford wants to cut the weight of new cars and trucks by up to 750 pounds by the end of the decade. It’s a key component of the company’s strategy to improve fuel efficiency, according to an ORNL press release.
