article thumbnail

DOE to award up to $12M for technologies to produce renewable carbon fiber from biomass

Green Car Congress

The US Department of Energy (DOE) will award ( DE-FOA-0000996 ) up to $12 million in funding to advance the development of a cost-competitive pathway to produce high-performance carbon fiber for vehicle lightweighting from renewable non-food biomass. Reducing a vehicle’s weight by just 10% can improve fuel economy by 6% to 8%.

article thumbnail

Ford collaborating with DowAksa on automotive-grade carbon fiber, part of IACMI

Green Car Congress

Ford and DowAksa are accelerating joint research to develop high-volume manufacturing techniques for automotive-grade carbon fiber, aiming to make vehicles lighter for greater fuel efficiency, performance and capability. —Jim deVries, Ford global manager, Materials and Manufacturing Research.

article thumbnail

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 pressure fuel injection, and higher pressure engine operation, for implementing the clean diesel combustion strategy.

article thumbnail

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

Green Car Congress

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. Using lighter materials also reduces a vehicle’s fuel consumption.

article thumbnail

DOE issues FOA for up to $4M for development of advanced H2 storage systems and materials

Green Car Congress

Full commercialization of fuel cell systems using hydrogen will require advances in hydrogen storage technologies. The FOA includes the following topics: Topic Area 1: Reducing the cost of compressed hydrogen storage systems. A vehicle that achieves a fuel economy of 60 miles per kilogram of hydrogen (i.e.,

article thumbnail

LeMond Composites licenses ORNL low-cost carbon fiber manufacturing process; transportation, renewable energy, & infrastructure

Green Car Congress

LeMond Composites, founded by three-time Tour de France champion Greg LeMond, has licensed a low-cost, high-volume carbon fiber manufacturing process developed at the US Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Earlier post.)

article thumbnail

DOE to provide up to $14.2M to develop lightweight materials for advanced vehicles

Green Car Congress

DE-FOA-0000648 ) This funding will support the development of high-strength, lightweight carbon fiber composites and advanced steels and alloys that will help vehicle manufacturers improve the fuel economy of cars and trucks while maintaining and improving safety and performance.