Making cars of Lightweight carbon fiber-reinforced plastic is the next venture that BMW is getting into for its battery-powered Megacity car. For this purpose they have engaged into a joint venture with SGL Automotive Carbon Fibers who have established a carbon manufacturing plant at Moses Lake < Washington. This plant was started up last Wednesday. The battery powered Megacity is scheduled for start of sales in 2013. By using carbon fiber material the weight of the car would be brought down by 250 to 350 kg and in the process in turn will help in improving fuel efficiency of the car. BMW and SGL have planned to invest $100 million towards construction of the plant at a site of 60 acres. The first of the two carbon fiber lines is expected to be ready in the third quarter of 2011. 1500 metric ton capacity is the specified capacity of each line. The clean hydropower resources that is available at Moses Lake as well as the competitive energy costs in that area makes Moses Lake an ideal location for setting up the SGL Automotive Carbon Fibres factory as per Joerg Pohlman who is the managing director of SGL. Source: 4wheelsnews
21
