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Enter BMW — with Carbon Fiber

Revenge of the Electric Car

BMW MegaCity Urban Electric Car To Be Built of Carbon Fiber. First, the raw feedstock to make carbon fibers–just call it a “polacrylonitrile-based precursor&# –is made in Japan by a joint venture between SGL and Mitsubishi Rayon and flown to the U.S. April 7th, 2010. By John Voelcker Senior Editor.

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Canadian startup launches INDIEGOGO funding campaign for low-cost electric self-charging solar tricycle produced in Pakistan

Green Car Congress

The team projects that the high-efficiency vehicle will have a a minimum unit cost of only $1,400 to produce—the price of an average mountain bike—once the funding goal is reached. The VEGAN is a lightweight multipurpose hybrid electric-self-charging solar tricycle. The team has not yet produced a working demo for their concept.

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DOE awards $17M to FY 2014 SBIR Phase II projects; includes Si/graphene anodes, motor windings, exhaust treatments

Green Car Congress

Vehicle technologies span a range from new Si/graphene Li-ion anode materials and composites for motor windings to diesel aftertreatment and advanced lubricants. Composite Coatings for Low-Cost Motor Windings in Electric Vehicles. Novel Structured Metal Bipolar Plates for Low Cost Manufacturing. Lead organization.

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DOE issues $10M incubator FOA for batteries, power electronics, engines, materials, fuels and lubricants

Green Car Congress

As described in multiple DOE reports, the main barriers to widespread PEV commercialization are the cost; performance and life; and abuse tolerance of high?energy Specifically: the current cost of high?energy Advanced Power Electronics and Electric Motors for Electric Traction Drives. Carbon Fiber or Lightweight Materials.

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DOE selects 7 projects for up to $21.75M in funding to develop stronger and lighter materials for cars and trucks

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These projects include the development and validation of modeling tools to deliver higher performing carbon fiber composites and advanced steels, as well as research into new lightweight, high-strength alloys for energy-efficient vehicle and truck engines. Fiber Thermoplastic Composites. Lead organization. Description.

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DOE launches Clean Energy Manufacturing Initiative; awards $23.5M to 5 more manufacturing R&D projects

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The CEMI announcement was made at the ribbon cutting of the Department’s Carbon Fiber Technology Facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, a new advanced manufacturing facility to reduce the cost of carbon fiber. Ford Motor Company. Carbon Fiber Technology Facility. Earlier post.) Lead organization.

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DOE to award more than $7M to four projects to advance hydrogen storage

Green Car Congress

The selected organizations will provide close to $2 million in cost share. The projects focus on lowering the cost of compressed hydrogen storage systems and on developing advanced materials for hydrogen storage. will use a coordinated approach to reduce the costs associated with compressed hydrogen storage systems. and AOC Inc.,

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