The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the United States Council for Automotive Research (USCAR) announces a 70 million dollars, five year agreement to develop lightweight, high-strength materials that increase fuel efficiency through a reduction of vehicle weight without compromising safety. It is estimated that every 10 percent reduction in vehicle weight results in an approximate 7 percent savings in fuel. DOE's FreedomCAR Program and USCAR's U.S. Automotive Materials Partnership will split the cost of research and development for a number of new materials and technologies that will reduce weight without compromising durability, reliability, and safety of vehicles. None of the DOE funds go to the automakers; instead, the resources are directed to government labs, universities, and suppliers to help develop the nation's technology base.
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