The Carbon Age Begins – BMW Group / SGL Group Joint
Venture opens the new Moses Lake Plant
Start of carbon fiber production for BMW i3 and BMW i8
approximately $100 million investment in Moses Lake joint venture plant
Moses Lake, Washington – September 1, 2011 SGL Automotive Carbon Fibers
(SGL ACF) – a joint venture of SGL Group and the BMW Group – today officially opened its new state-of-the-art carbon fiber manufacturing plant in Moses Lake, WA. The new
facility is strategic for the manufacture of ultra light-weight carbon fiber reinforced
plastics (CFRP) for use in the new BMW i vehicles.
The two parent companies will invest approximately $100 million in their Moses Lake
plant and create 80 new local jobs until 2013. In order to prepare the large scale
production start of BMW i vehicles in 2013 it is important to start the carbon fiber
manufacturing now. All electricity needed for the production of carbon fibers will come
from readily available clean and renewable local hydropower.
Thanks to the emission-free drivetrain and a value added chain designed to be
sustainable all along the line, life cycle emission figures for the BMW i3 are at least a third lower than for a highly efficient combustion-engine car. If the BMW i3 is run on electricity from renewable sources, the figures improve by well over 50%.
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Author: (BMW of North America)
Source: http://www.bmwusa.com/standard/content/ ... egins.aspx