Ford Wants to Slim Down its Vehicles with Nanotechnology

How can you reduce a vehicle's curb weight by 250 to 750 pounds while maintaining each material’s original durability, strength and performance? Ford thinks the answer is nanotechnology.

Nanotechnology is a quickly expanding field where scientists are learning how to manipulate a material on the molecular or atomic level to achieve new properties or characteristics. Sound like science fiction? It's not.

Ford's lab in Germany has already devised a spray-on coating of nano-particles for the cylinder liners that wears less and cuts friction losses while weighing only a fraction as much as the cast-iron material. By using lighter materials manipulated with nanotechnology Ford thinks it can significantly decrease the mass of a car and therefore raise its fuel efficiency significantly.

The automaker expects that 70% of all materials in a car will be modified this way by the year 2015.

Ford Turns to Nanotech to Cut Pounds, Save Fuel (Autopia)

Comments

[Tony]

they really need it. I test drove Edge- the thing feels badly overweight. Checked on website - over 4000 lb. No kidding

[ken]

here's the bottomline issue for the consumer and the automaker: how much will the nanotechnology cost?

there are lots of things that can be great for everybody: swivelling headlights, an intelligent system that applies the brakes if an accident is coming, cameras in the back of a car... but all these great technological conveniences cost money. thus, only expensive or higher end cars (that not everyone can afford) get these things.

the rest of us poorer people who struggle with costs of gas and worry about jobs, will have to wait years longer (than 2015) before all this great tech trickles down to us.

i wish it wasn't true. but, i feel that it is.

[Paul]

Anytime Ford says they are trying something new. That scares me... I'v had 2 Fords and will never own another again...

[Sam]

Ken,

So at what point could you afford a flat screen TV? Maybe 2 or 3 years ago? I know someone who owned one 6 years ago when they cost a lot more to buy. How is it that you can afford it now, and you couldn't afford it then? Because of the early adopters. They were willing to pay more for cutting edge technology so that the kinks could be ironed out, techniques perfected, and mass production could start. The same thing has happened in the Auto industry with traction control. The cool technologies start out in high end cars because they are expensive on a small scale, and after production can be ramped up and a market found willing to buy the new technology, the prices come down. What's wrong with that?

[Rick]

Another 'new' Ford engine / product coming down the pike that will burst into flames ... does it come with marshmellows?

[Silver]

Sam,

The problem is that the technology is not available when it needs to be, right now. And it is not just the amount of time that the technology is in production that makes the cost come down, it is competition. It is about having a marketable product and having competition to bring the cost down. Until that happens the option either stays at the high price or it goes away.

[Infosaur]

since this is engine tech, and probably involves high cost R&D, I'd say once it goes into production it will probably go on as many engines as possible.

But since it's a minor detail buried in a mountain of specs from the engineering department, most customer's won't be able to brag about it.

"Say Ted, that's some Ford you've got there!"

"That's right, and thanks to nanotechnology, my cylinder liners are .03 grams lighter and 6% more durable!"

"?!?"

(Most people will just say, "mine gets 400hp" or "35 MPG")