MAGNESIUM APPLICATIONS IN FORD'S PNGV MONDEO

摘要

In concert with other U.S. automotive companies (through the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles, PNGV), Ford Motor Company is developing a 6-passenger mid-sized vehicle whose goal is to achieve 3L/100Km fuel efficiency in the 2004 time frame. As a first step toward meeting this objective and in order to test out new vehicle construction and powertrain systems, Ford is constructing a stretched Mondeo/Contour, code named P2000, that is expected to achieve nearly 3.4 L/100 km fuel efficiency. In addition to unique powertrain requirements, this aggressive fuel efficiency goal requires that the vehicle's body and chassis mass be reduced by nearly 50 percent and the total mass be reduced some 30 percent, or 450 kg (from 1450 to 950 kg). This paper will discuss the potential for using magnesium components throughout Ford's P2000 vehicle. Whereas current vehicles utilize some 2.6 kg of this material, it is possible to define a vehicle that contains more than 103 kg. Such a vehicle would be "magnesium intensive", since if all of the targeted components were actually produced, the vehicle would contain more than 10 percent magnesium. There are may issues involved in such an extensive mass-reduction; the author will discuss where magnesium has a reasonable expectation to survive and what component design, manufacturing and materials' criteria have to be met not to compromise vehicle functionality.