Federal is interested in supplying electronic components related to vehicle powertrains, electric motors and parts of the infrastructure needed for electric-powered vehicles. CEO Jose Maria Alapont said the company’s current exposure to electrification is “not material enough” to disclose. The company is not interested in becoming a battery maker, but would be interested in supplying battery system parts, he added. The Southfield, Michigan-based company earlier this year said it was extending its range of PM materials for bushings and guides designed specifically for use at very high temperatures increasingly found in turbo chargers and exhaust gas recirculation system (EGR) components. Turbocharging is already almost universal on diesel engines and will become even more common in gasoline applications as engineers improve fuel consumption and emissions by designing downsized engines that have higher specific outputs. “Operating at high temperatures can be a considerable challenge, particularly because at the very high temperatures experienced – 1050°C as opposed to the current 800°C – no lubrication can be used to reduce friction or wear between moving parts,” said Bob Pratt, sintered products research manager. Federal Mogul has dedicated technical centres at Coventry, UK and Waupun, Wisconsin, USA.
