Ford and Dow Chemical to experiment with carbon fiber

Ford is hatching a weight-loss plan for its cars and trucks that should result in a 750-pound-per-car weight reduction before the end of the decade. The company even hired a “personal trainer,” Dow Chemical, to help it get there.

So, what's their plan? To research and implement carbon-fiber, composite-intensive construction techniques once normally reserved for race cars and luxury cars.

In a statement, Paul Mascarenas, Ford's chief technical officer and vice president, explained the two ways that the company plans to reduce energy use in its vehicles. The first is improved powertrain efficiency, and the second is to reduce load on the powertrains.

“Ford is tackling the conversion problem primarily through downsizing engines with EcoBoost and electrification, while mass reduction and improved aerodynamics are key to reducing the workload,” Mascarenas said.

As the demand for fuel increases, so does the need for efficiency and the increased demand for carbon fiber in many industries. Ford and Dow hope to establish an economical source for automotive-grade carbon fiber for high-volume applications.

If all goes according to plan, carbon-fiber components could begin appearing on new Ford vehicles near the end of the decade. Ford said it hopes that the ability to produce carbon fiber more inexpensively will assist it in meeting stringent new fuel-efficiency standards imposed by the federal government.

By David Arnouts