Increasing the fuel economy of passenger vehicles is vital to reducing the world's petroleum consumption and green house gas (GHG) emissions. More efficient combustion engines, advanced materials to make vehicles lighter, technologies for affordable hybrid electric systems, batteries for greater energy storage, and fuels that either displace petroleum or improve combustion are all paths with potential for reducing petroleum consumption with a concomitant reduction in GHG emissions. It is generally held that reducing the mass of the automotive body-in-white will enable compounding mass reductions associated with, for example, reducing secondary structures, suspension systems, and engine size. A general rule of thumb is that a 10 percent reduction in vehicle mass translates into a 6-7 percent reduction in fuel consumption. Magnesium and carbon-fiber composites are recognized as materials that offer significant opportunities for mass reduction, and therefore reduced fuel consumption. This paper will discuss the impact of the transportation system on oil consumption, the potential influence of lightweight materials on the fuel economy of automobiles, and the U.S. Department of Energy's efforts to develop automotive lightweight materials.
Lightweight materials: A path to enhanced fuel economy in passenger vehicles
Leichte Materialien: Ein Weg zu verbesserter Kraftstoffeinsparung in Personenkraftwagen
2007
7 Seiten, 5 Bilder, 12 Quellen
Conference paper
Storage medium
English
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