DOE announces funding for projects supporting composites for vehicle applications
Composite recipients Ford and GM will develop a multi-functional cross-car beam and volume manufacturing of structural battery enclosures.
#electricvehicles #iacmi #ford
Edited by Grace Nehls

IACMI’s Scale Up Research Facility in Detroit managed and operated Michigan State University. Source | IACMI
On July 16, U.S. Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette announced that the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) will fund $139 million for 55 projects across the country that will support new and innovative advanced vehicle technologies across 16 topic areas. Among the projects announced, the Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO) and EERE’s Advanced Manufacturing Office (AMO) are collaborating on two projects, led by General Motors LLC
More specifically, Ford, in collaboration with DOE’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory
According to the DOE, the project teams will generally conduct research in advanced batteries, electrification and manufacturing in support of DOE’s Energy Storage Grand Challenge, a comprehensive strategy to create and sustain U.S. global leadership in energy storage technology, utilization and exports announced in January 2020.
Selected projects under this funding opportunity will be managed by VTO, whose research pathways focus on fuel diversification, vehicle efficiency, energy storage, lightweight materials and new mobility technologies to improve the overall energy efficiency and affordability of the transportation system.
Other projects pursued will include advancing lithium-ion batteries using silicon-based anodes, improving efficiency for light-duty gasoline engines, medium- and heavy-duty natural gas engines, agricultural off-road vehicles and more. Visit the website for a more comprehensive list.
RELATED CONTENT
-
Materials & Processes: Fabrication methods
There are numerous methods for fabricating composite components. Selection of a method for a particular part, therefore, will depend on the materials, the part design and end-use or application. Here's a guide to selection.
-
Boeing 787 Update
Approaching rollout and first flight, the 787 relies on innovations in composite materials and processes to hit its targets
-
Wind turbine blades: Glass vs. carbon fiber
As the wind energy market continues to grow, competition heats up between glass and carbon fiber composites for turbine blades.