Pursuits
BMW Weaves City Car Out of Carbon Fiber Used in F1
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Bayerische Motoren Werke AG will cocoon passengers of a battery-powered city car in the same lightweight material used to protect Formula One drivers.
Marking the auto industry’s biggest bet on carbon fiber, BMW will use the hardened fabric to construct a passenger-safety cell for the electric vehicle. An amalgamation of carbon fiber and an aluminum frame will offset as much as 350 kilograms (772 pounds) of additional weight from battery and electronic components, according to Klaus Draeger, BMW’s development chief.