Autoblog

Next gen. BMW 7 Series to use carbon fiber

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 08:32:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Technology, BMW, Luxury

The next BMW 7 Series, said to be arriving in 2015, will reportedly use more CFRP (carbon fiber reinforced plastic) in its build. In two interviews R&D head Dr. Klaus Draeger said the big sedan will introduce the expanded use of CFRP components into the mainstream BMW line.

Draeger made sure to say that he believes in the right material mix, making structural items like the engine cradle and crash structures in high-strength steel and using aluminum for pieces like the doors, front fenders and roof. It is thought that carbon fiber will supplant some aluminum parts like the hood, roof and trunk.

Next gen. BMW 7 Series to use carbon fiber originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 08:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Audi Urban Concept Sportback ready for wireless charging in the city

Sebastian Blanco — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 19:40:00 EST

Filed under: Frankfurt Motor Show, Audi, Electric

Not as easily spotted as its Spyder relative, the Audi Urban Concept Sportback more closely matches the renderings we saw before the start of the Frankfurt Motor Show. That's not to say we were totally prepared for the quirkiness of either version, but at least the Sportback's carbon fiber reinforced plastic body was somewhat known to us.

Under the CFRP, the Sportback and Spyder share the same all-electric powertrain. That means two electric motors with a combined output of 15 kW (20 PS) of continuous power and 47 Nm (34.67 lb-ft) of torque as well as a li-ion battery that has 7.1 kWh of usable energy (total size unknown) and offers a range of 45 miles. Getting from zero to 62 mph (the concept's top speed) takes a gentle 16.9 seconds, which would be fine if Audi ever releases this vehicle for sale in its intended environment: the city.

Perhaps even more appropriate for a city getabout, the battery pack can recharge in just an hour from a standard (in Europe) 230-volt household current. If you have access to a 400-volt, three-phase current fast charger, that drops to approximately 20 minutes. Both concept vehicles are also ready with Audi Wireless Charging (AWC) technology, which uses contactless induction from a 3.6kW primary coil installed into a parking spot, say, to automatically start refilling the battery pack when you pull the car into place. Audi didn't say how long this wireless charging takes, just that it "is comparable to that of other charging technologies."

Get more details on Audi's new 1+1 seater in the press release after the jump and check out detailed pictures in the gallery above.

Continue reading Audi Urban Concept Sportback ready for wireless charging in the city

Audi Urban Concept Sportback ready for wireless charging in the city originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 14 Sep 2011 19:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Audi, Voith enter new carbon fiber partnership

Sebastian Blanco — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 07:59:00 EST

Filed under: Technology, Audi

Audi Aluminum A5 Coupe Prototype - Click above for high-res image

Audi has put carbon fiber to good use in concept vehicles like the e-tron show cars and a special lightweight A5, which has a carbon fiber hood and rear deck, and in some parts of the R8 and RS 3. The high-tech (and currently expensive) material could make the jump from fancy accoutrement to integral part of future lightweight production cars thanks to the announcement that Audi and Voith GmbH have formed a development partnership to bring "fiber-reinforced materials" to market by "developing a highly automated process chain for high-volume automotive production."

Voith has many years of experience with carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP), a material that BMW will use in the Megacity EV and other vehicles. Mercedes, too, is interested in carbon fiber, and this is one party that can't have too many guests. Feel free to read the complete press release after the break.

[Source: Audi]

Continue reading Audi, Voith enter new carbon fiber partnership

Audi, Voith enter new carbon fiber partnership originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 07:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BMW leaks first-gen X5 made of carbon fiber

Noah Joseph — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 13:27:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, SUV, Crossover, BMW

BMW has been making some headlines over the past few months with its commitment to carbon fiber construction, opening a joint-venture production facility in Washington State and teasing the upcoming Megacity EV as the first mass-produced carbon fiber vehicle. But there's always a back story to the headlines.

As you might have guessed, BMW has been toying around with the lightweight construction material for some time, seeing just how far it could push the envelop and what practical applications it could have. In this case, it turns out that, back around 2003, the Bavarian automaker re-constructed a first-gen X5 sport-ute with a carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) unibody. Every panel on the X5 was replaced with CFRP, save the doors which retained their conventional steel construction. The result was a weight savings of 440 pounds, without - according to BMW - sacrificing structural rigidity and crash-worthiness.

Of course the carbon X5 was never put into production, but it reportedly underwent some 40,000 kilometers (25,000 miles) of testing, and the knowledge gleaned will surely find its way into BMW's production vehicles in the future.

[Source: BMW Blog]

BMW leaks first-gen X5 made of carbon fiber originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 06 Jul 2010 13:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BMW, SGL announce new carbon fiber plant in Moses Lake, WA

Zach Bowman — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 14:28:00 EST

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Technology, BMW

BMW has just announced that the company will join forces with Seattle-based SGL Automotive Carbon Fibers LLC to build a new manufacturing facility in Moses Lake, Washington. Don't get too excited just yet. The plant won't be cranking out CF bits for your 3 Series so that you can have a roof that looks like the one on your neighbor's M3 (shown above). Instead, BMW says the $100 million facility will be creating carbon-fiber reinforced plastics for the upcoming Megacity vehicle. At the same time, SGL and BMW will be creating 80 jobs in the Moses Lake area.

The Megacity vehicle is slated for launch in 2015, and will get stitched together at BMW's plant in Lepzig, Germany. Since that's the case, you may be asking yourself why the Bavarian automaker would bother investing in a facility nestled half way around the globe in the sticks of Washington State. Turns out the answer is that the location has plenty of things going for it, including clean hydro electric power, a capable work force and a government that was willing to work with both SGL and BMW.

Both companies have made a point of saying that this is a big step for the democratization of carbon fiber in auto manufacturing. Let's hope they're right.

[Source: BMW]

Continue reading BMW, SGL announce new carbon fiber plant in Moses Lake, WA

BMW, SGL announce new carbon fiber plant in Moses Lake, WA originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 16 Apr 2010 14:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dodge Viper ACR wing stronger than your average spoiler

Michael Harley — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 14:28:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Performance, Technology, Dodge, Design/Style

The elephantine rear airfoil bolted to the rear deck of the Dodge Viper ACR is not only highly functional, but it gets credit as being the first mass-produced carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) wing on a production car. Rear wings on high performance vehicles are designed to counter lift. Without aerodynamic aids, most vehicles become less stable and have reduced grip as velocities increase (worst case, the vehicle actually flies as did the Mercedes CLR at Le Mans in 1999).

Chrysler's SRT Performance Group was tasked with building a faster variant of the Dodge Viper with the ACR, yet cutting weight at the same time. The team did extensive studies of wing profiles before settling on a 72-inch wide wing manufactured out of CFRP. While most wings have a structural core or ribbing, the ACR's hollow wing is comprised of just four layers of epoxy/carbon fiber weave with an outer UV-resistant clearcoat.

The wing is amazingly strong (as evidenced by the picture at right), yet it weighs just 7.5 lbs, 50 to 80 percent less than an aluminum or thermoplastic counterpart. Working in conjunction with a variable-geometry front splitter and dive planes, the oversized rear wing helps the Viper ACR achieve its targeted 1,000 lbs of downforce at 150 mph. That's enough to help Dodge's supercar sustain a cornering load of 1.5 Gs at speed - superior to many GT racing cars.

[Source: Composites World]

Dodge Viper ACR wing stronger than your average spoiler originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 14:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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