In the interest of lightness, BMW's upcoming line of Megacity electric cars will have a carbon fiber safety cell over an aluminum frame. Carbon fiber doesn't grown on trees yet (though surely Monsanto can make that happen), so BMW needs a place to manufacture the carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) cells. That place is Moses Lake, Washington, where BMW and SGL Group broke ground on a new manufacturing plant today.
The $100 million joint venture plant, SGL Automotive Carbon Fibers, will eventually run two lines to produce carbon fiber safety cells (which BMW calls LifeDrive) for the Megacity cars. Each line will an annual capacity of 1,500 metric tons of CFRP. The first line will be operational in the third quarter of 2011 -- ready for the Megacity launch in 2013. The BMW-SGL venture will open a second facility in Wackersdorf, Germany.
After leaving the Moses Lake plant, the carbon fiber cells will head to BMW's Landshut, Germany, facility, for pressure stamping. Final assembly of the first Megacity model, which will be a rear-drive, 4-seat electric vehicle, will happen at BMW's Leipzig plant. BMW has already begun crash-testing CFRP safety cell prototypes with dummies aboard (photos with dummies after the jump).
Other interesting details about the first Megacity car came out this week. Notably, the lightweight little car will accelerate to 60 mph in well under 10 seconds and have a range of up to 155 miles. More interesting is the proposition of a non-electric version, which would still have the benefit of lightweight materials (which save about 550 pounds, we're told) and have an intriguing rear-internal-combustion-engine/rear-drive layout.
Green Car Advisor: BMW Opens Up About its Megacity EV Program and 'Project i'
jederino says:
05:12 PM, 07/ 7/10
I wonder if Lake Moses was selected in part due to relatively inexpensive power costs in WA State, similar to what launched the aircraft industry? It seems politicians in WA and certain special interest groups are doing everything they can to penalize and remove that energy advantage we enjoy from hydro-electric, because, well, dams are not good for fish habitat.
throwback says:
05:30 AM, 07/ 8/10
"It seems politicians in WA and certain special interest groups are doing everything they can to penalize and remove that energy advantage we enjoy from hydro-electric, because, well, dams are not good for fish habitat."
If true that would be incredibly shortsighted. But then special interest groups by definition are shortsighted, only looking out for their very narrow interests.
wayamaha says:
12:36 PM, 07/ 8/10
Never heard of Lake Moses, WA, do you mean Moses Lake?
jederino says:
02:51 PM, 07/ 8/10
^^Yes, that's it. I made an unfortunate slip into reverse polish notation.
wayamaha says:
04:45 PM, 07/ 8/10
Bahahaha, reverse polish notation. Sweet.