With gasoline prices surpassing $3.00 gallon, cars that use less gas are on everyone's mind. Researchers at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory think that vehicles made partly of lignin from wood pulp and cellulose may be the ticket. Although carbon fiber is one-fifth the weight of steel, it is just as strong and stiff. By replacing 50 percent of the ferrous metals in automobiles, a vehicle's weight could be reduced by 60 percent and fuel consumption by 30 percent. Read the article to find out what you might be driving in the future.
The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from the May edition of the MotionControl Catalyst newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to MotionControl Catalyst today.
Better you then me
