Rather than dumping millions upon millions of dollars into alternative energy engine design to compensate for the ridiculous high fuel prices and desire to be green, Ford is taking a different route: nanotechnology. Nanotechnology allows for the average vehicle to shed anywhere from 250 to 750 pounds of weight without compromising the structural integrity of the vehicle. Lightening the vehicles can significantly boost the mileage ratings, but that isn't the only area receiving some nanotech love. And as a side explanatory note, nanotechnology involves the manipulation of materials at a molecular or atomic level to change properties of the material.
We've seen nanotech help devise anti-fog glass and play a part in fuel-cell technology, but some of the German Ford designers have even gone as far as creating nano-particle spray-on coating for cylinder liners that reduce friction and more. [Autopia]