BMW is the Ultimate Driving machine
Dr. Joerg Pohlman, Managing Director of SGL Carbon talked to Lou Ann Hammond, CEO, www.drivingthenation.com about BMW and SGL’s Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic (CFRP).
SGL uses a different type of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic (CFRP), produced more like creating fabric.
Producing carbon fiber has been expensive and complex. It can use a lot of electricity and water to produce. Is there a difference in water and electricity in the way SGL produces their Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic (CFRP).
The initial production is done in Moses Lake, Washington State, located on the Columbia River, using 100% renewable energy, hydropower. Carbon fibers are produced by means of oxidation and carbonization.
The second production facility is located in the Bavarian town of Wackersdorf, Germany in the BMW Group Innovation Park. The carbon fibers are woven into carbon fiber fabrics and created into the cockpit of the car.
The pieces are sent to Leipzig, Germany to assemble the BMW i3 and BMW i8. The unused parts, just like the unused parts when you cut from fabric to make an outfit, can be created into a roof.
The material has a lower net weight than aluminum or steel and is also incredibly resistant. Its properties also make entirely new vehicle designs possible.
Watch the video to see the production.
