The ISATA conferences on automotive materials and alternative fuel vehicles provided an opportunity to preview technology developments occurring in Europe. This will allow the Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy-lightweight Materials Program to calibrate its technical efforts against international activity. Fundamentally, the technology issues are similar and it appeared that technical developments by the US automotive manufacturers is readily shared to their European operations. Several areas of potential importance to the lightweight Materials Program were noted. The European approach to materials within the automobile companies and their suppliers is guided by the same principles of cost and reliability as in the US, but their research efforts in advanced materials appear to be guided more by lifecycle energy considerations and a desire to minimize overall ecological impact. In the alternative fuel vehicles arena, the European approach is again based on lifecycle assessments and impact to society, and a large amount of work appeared to be ongoing in relation to social arguments for transportation choices. A heavy emphasis was noted in reducing vehicle miles travelled. Attendance at the Swiss workshop on electric and hybrid vehicle industry development indicated a strong need for technology on manufacturability and recyclability of composites. Their work was highly complemented by Drs. Lovins and MacCready, who felt their capabilities in development/prototyping of electric vehicles was outstanding. Bankers and industry representatives at this workshop showed the need for tie in to large companies for viable marketable vehicles.


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    Title :

    Travel to Germany and Switzerland to attend the ISATA conferences on automative materials and alternative fuel vehicles. Foreign trip report, September 10--23, 1993


    Contributors:
    G. M. Wood (author)

    Publication date :

    1993


    Size :

    13 pages


    Type of media :

    Report


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English