The White House announced a new $14.2 million effort at the Department of Energy to accelerate the development and deployment of stronger and lighter materials for advanced vehicles that will help reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil, save drivers money, and limit carbon pollution. 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.
"By investing in next-generation vehicle materials and components, we are helping U.S. manufacturers improve the fuel efficiency of our cars and trucks and ensuring American companies remain at the cutting-edge of the global auto industry," said U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu. "Lighter, stronger materials will help improve the performance of our vehicles while saving families and businesses money at the pump."
Replacing cast iron and traditional steel components with lightweight materials—including advanced high-strength steel, magnesium, aluminum, and polymer composites—allows manufacturers to include additional safety devices, integrated electronic systems, and emissions control equipment on vehicles without increasing their weight. Using lighter materials also reduces a vehicle's fuel consumption. For example, reducing a vehicle's weight by 10 percent can improve the fuel economy by 6 to 8 percent.
The Energy Department intends to fund projects across three major areas of materials research and development, including developing modeling tools to deliver higher performing carbon fiber composites and advanced steels, as well as researching new lightweight, high-strength alloys for energy-efficient vehicle and truck engines. The specific research areas include:
- Predictive modeling of carbon fiber composites: Carbon fiber composites are capable of reducing vehicle component weight by up to 50 percent over conventional automotive steel structures. Projects selected in this area will validate modeling tools to optimize the performance and cost-effectiveness of carbon fiber composite materials for vehicle body, chassis, and interior uses.
- Predictive modeling of advanced steels: Advanced high strength steels are capable of reducing vehicle component weight by more than 25 percent. Projects selected in this area will develop modeling tools to optimize the performance and cost-effectiveness of third-generation high strength steels for the vehicle body and chassis.
- Advanced alloy development for automotive and heavy-duty engines: As manufacturers continue to push the limits of engine efficiency, cast engine components must be strong enough to withstand higher cylinder pressures. Projects selected in this area will develop low-cost, high-strength alloys for automotive and heavy duty engine blocks and cylinder heads.
The Energy Department will make up to $8.2 million available in fiscal year 2012 for selection under this funding opportunity announcement, and subject to congressional appropriations, the Department plans to make an additional $6 million available in fiscal year 2013 to fully fund these advanced materials projects, which will take 2-4 years to complete.
The Department will accept applications from industry, national laboratories, and university led-teams to address these challenges and enable technologies that will drive innovation in vehicle design. Applications for the solicitation are due May 7, 2012. For more information and application requirements, please visit the Funding Opportunity Exchange website.
