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Ford and Dow partner to research use of advanced carbon fiber composities in high-volume vehicles

Green Car Congress

Ford Motor Company is partnering with Dow Automotive Systems, a business unit of The Dow Chemical Company, to research the use of advanced carbon fiber composites in high-volume vehicles. Carbon fiber composites have been used in aerospace and racing cars for decades due to their unique combination of high strength and low mass.

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2023 Ford F-150 Raptor R Review – Beast Mode

The Truth About Cars

Inside, the cabin is pretty familiar, though things like a steering-wheel centering mark and available aluminum or carbon-fiber accents set the R apart. I mentioned the abysmal fuel-economy numbers – they are 10 mpg city/15 mpg highway/12 mpg combined. rear axle, and a terrain management system.

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GM to double models with 40 mpg highway or better by 2017; ongoing manufacturing efficiency improvements

Green Car Congress

GM has made three product commitments for 2017 related to its sustainability strategy: to have 500,000 vehicles on the road in the US with some form of electrification ( earlier post ); to double the number of US models that can achieve an EPA-estimated 40 mpg US (5.9 Carbon intensity per vehicle in 2012 was 0.88 Earlier post.).

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Road Test: 2023 McLaren GT

Clean Fleet Report

Unassuming Speed McLaren lets you know right away the GT is a serious driver’s car—the carbon fiber steering wheel is void of all buttons and controls for the audio, telephone and cruise control—meaning serious driving ahead. The 16-inch front and 15-inch rear midsize-pizza-like polished rotors are for the carbon ceramic brakes.

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Audi’s 544 hp V10 diesel quattro concept averages 30 mpg; integral steering

Green Car Congress

liters per 100 kilometers (30 mpg US ). The carbon fiber-ceramic brake discs can withstand high temperatures and are extremely abrasion-resistant. With acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.8 seconds, and top speed of 305 km/h (190 mph), the nanuk quattro averages fuel consumption of 7.8

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

Green Car Congress

displayed in longer EV range, higher MPG and/or MPGe ratings). Carbon Fiber or Lightweight Materials. VTO is seeking projects that address the major challenges to developing and commercializing carbon fiber composites for lightweight structures. Most critical is the cost of the carbon fiber.

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SporTran and Proterra deploy Louisiana’s first battery-electric buses in Shreveport

Green Car Congress

And unlike the industry’s widely-used steel bus frames, Proterra’s lightweight carbon-fiber reinforced composite bus body maximizes vehicle life, while minimizing repairs and maintenance.