A gift
SGL groundbreaking benefits more than just the Basin
A group of dignitaries all put their feet on gold shovels and broke ground for the pending SGL Automotive Group’s carbon fiber plant Wednesday.
Many hailed the economic benefits of the new $100 million facility and the promise of 200 full-time jobs in the future.
But the groundbreaking was more of a gift to everyone than just Moses Lake and Grant County.
Yes, a gift.
Our nation watches Boeing for progress on the new 787, the first carbon fiber passenger jet liner. Its capabilities, from quieter performance to fuel efficiency, have left people around the world with expectations of a paradigm shift in commercial aviation. It is a cutting edge technology being used to better Boeing planes.
Now BMW is following suit with the design of the Megacity Vehicle. They are planning on a car made predominantly of carbon fiber. The lighter material means less fuel is used to propel the car. This is going to be significant when considering they are talking about fully electric vehicles. It could be a paradigm shift for the automobile industry.
The future plant is being designed to maximize efficiency and utilize renewable energy generated by our pair of hydroelectric dams. The renewable energy was the key to convincing the company to invest in Grant County.
They are looking to make the most environmentally friendly car ever produced. To do this they wanted to be green from the start. This means using power at their plant from clean hydroelectric dams.
As company officials mingled with politicians, government representatives and those media types — us — people took turns lifting the extremely light-weight carbon fiber roof from a BMW M3 coupe. Strong as steel, yet lighter by about 50 percent.
After speeches were concluded and questions answered, they offered people turns to drive the BMW Mini-E fully electrical car. BMW made the car very similar to its Mini Cooper line. But there were only a few hundred of the electrical version made for a study of how the car performed in urban settings and to determine what needed to be improved.
Wednesday, we drove the electric car.
It looked good, like a regular BMW Mini. It accelerated faster than it should have. It was comfortable for men standing at least six feet, four inches tall. It was quiet, nay, nearly silent except for the air conditioning fan. It is a great car.
The range is limited to about 100 miles, but for a daily commuter it works very well. For longer trips, drivers need to plan on finding recharging stations. It takes two to three hours to replenish its capacity.
It is not hard to imagine the Mini-E evolving into the future Megacity Vehicle. An electric car, barely weighing anything thanks to carbon fiber components. It is to be driven daily without any emissions.
The Megacity Vehicle is being designed for large urban areas, such as Berlin, London, New York, etc. But if the Mini-E is a sign of what is to come, we might all rethink our car choices. It would be great for the daily commute or trips to nearly everywhere in Grant or Adams counties.
The new SGL Automotive Group plant is a gift to everyone.
The reductions in exhaust emissions and fuel consumption are benefits we are all going to enjoy.
Even the farmer needing a large powerful pickup for work is going to be helped by the cars made from SGL’s carbon fiber materials. Eventually, trucks will be lightened to use less fuel, but there is an even better benefit.
In the future, when less people demand gasoline or diesel for their vehicles, the supply should cost less.
The long-term benefits, of greater industrial applications of carbon fiber materials for cars, is something everyone is going to enjoy — from economics to the environment.
For now, we are happy, and proud, to host a new neighbor in Grant County. One that has a dynamic vision and a wonderful plan to utilize renewable energy to help better the world.
Welcome to Grant County.
— Editorial board