Carbon Fiber Age – A new Era Begins for BMW
BMW in a joint venture with SGL Group has opened the 60-acre new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Moses Lake, Washington. Ultra lightweight carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) produced at the plant are dedicated for use in BMW i series.
Carbon fiber has two ‘believe it or not’ like properties; it weighs just one-fifth of steel but is much stiffer and stronger. Unlike aluminum and steel, it does not corrode or rust. What is the wonderful portent for a car owner? It can eventually reduce the weight of a car by an astounding 60% and in turn, cut fuel consumption drastically. Carbon fiber so far has been too expensive and difficult to manufacture. BMW has taken the bold step to bring lighter, safer and durable BMW i3s and BMW i8s. The green initiative does save quite a number of dollars for car owners.
SGL Group and BMW have each invested $100 million in the Moses Lake plant, strategically close to a clean readily available hydroelectric facility. Life cycle emission numbers (emission estimated through the life of car) for the BMW i3 or i8 could be at least 33% lower compared to even an efficient combustion-engine! BMW is putting in place an emission-free drive train and has designed a value added chain that is sustainable all through the line to achieve this goal. If you drive an i3-BMW with electricity generated from renewable sources, the emission number may come down to 50%!
All-electric BMW i3 will be the first car to have Carbon Fiber Passenger Cell, crux of the Life Drive architecture from BMW. Passenger cells will be made from the high-strength, exceptionally light carbon fibers reinforced plastic (CFRP.) The new BMW-i3 (earlier known as Megacity vehicle) promises emission-free and sustainable individual mobility to densely populated urban areas.
About 3,000 metric tons per annum will come out of the two production lines at the Moses Lake plant to start with. Apart from integrating social, economic and most importantly the ecological aspects of the entire supply chain, SGL Automotive Carbon Fibers took just 10 months; from groundbreaking in July 2010 to opening the plant in April 2011. Carbon fibers and downstream composite materials recycling processes are also in place.
The BMW- SGL Automotive Carbon Fibers has a global saga. The Carbon Fibers made at Moses Lake will be converted into lightweight carbon fiber fabrics at Wackersdorf, Germany. BMW will manufacture CFRP components from these fabrics at Landshut, Germany and roll out i3 from Leipzig.
High-octave euphoria has hit BMW (understandably so); but it is underlined by firm conviction. BMW AG’s CEO and Chairman Dr. Norbert Reithofer, sees Carbon fibers as a key construction material that will change the way 21st century’s cars are developed and built. To say it verbatim, ‘BMW i3 and the BMW i8 are cars like no other’ and their ‘purpose built design’ will set new standards for clean individual mobility of the future.’
SGL Group’s CEO, Robert Koehler is determined to ensure that the new Moses Lake Greenfield will be a milestone in large-scale adoption of carbon fibers in automotive industry.
Washington’s Governor, Christine Gregoire was jubilant, having garnered the industry for the state. ‘We will be the premier location for this in-demand product.’ She feels.
Time to crunch some remarkable numbers: in 2010, BMW sold 1.46 million cars and 110,000 motorcycles worldwide, earned revenues of euro 60.5 billion and posted pretax profits of euro 4.8 billion. Combined diligence of 95,500 employees working in 25 production/assembly facilities in 14 countries, returned these awesome results. (Remember BMW is a luxury brand and it is not all that easy to churn out such sales-numbers)
American affinity: BMW has an exclusive unit in South Carolina for BMWX5/X3 Sports Activity Vehicles and BMWX6 Sports Activity Coupes. The automaker carries out strategic design consultancy at Designworks USA (California) and technology office in Silicon Valley apart from distributing the famed Rolls-Royce throughout the States.
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