Goals and Objectives

Goal:

• Develop and validate cost-effective, lightweighting materials technologies that will significantly reduce automobile weight without compromising vehicle cost, performance, safety or recyclability

Objectives:

• By 2012, develop and validate advanced material technologies that will
  • Enable reductions in the weight of body and chassis components by at least 60% and vehicle weight by 50% (relative to 1997 comparative vehicles)
  • Exhibit performance, reliability, and safety characteristics comparable to those of conventional vehicle materials
  • Be cost-competitive, on a life-cycle basis, with costs of current materials