Oct 13 2009
DuPont designs and develops more than 100 products used in every major system in vehicles.
Three critical factors are driving DuPont’s focus on sustainable mobility:
- Rising fuel costs.
- Regulatory requirements.
- The need for reduced carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.
Automotive manufacturers are improving vehicle efficiency by reducing overall weight, reducing energy loss through friction, boosting output of smaller internal combustion engines and reducing energy used in vehicle production. DuPont is contributing to each of these challenges.
High-performance DuPont engineering resins replace metal parts and components, thereby cutting weight, saving fuel and reducing CO2 emissions. One example is the DuPont™ Zytel® nylon resin manifold, adopted for the GM 3800 series V6 engine many years ago. The elimination of metal and reduction in weight has saved more than 2.6 million barrels of oil to date.
Analyses during the 10-year lifetime of 100,000 Ford F250 trucks provided data of the energy savings that resulted from replacing secondary aluminum with virgin glass reinforced nylon. The energy reductions more than offset the energy consumed in the manufacturing process. The net energy savings of 77 billion BTU could meet the electrical needs of 44 homes per year. The lighter weight also eliminated 1.1 million pounds of CO2 emissions.
Energy loss through friction is also high. DuPont™ Vespel® parts and shapes and DuPont™ Teflon® help automotive manufacturers improve efficiencies and deliver more power to the wheels by reducing friction. Studies show that about 15% of the energy available in gasoline actually moves a vehicle down the road. Engine and driveline inefficiencies, accessories and idling consume the remaining 85%.