Car manufacturers are looking for ways to make their vehicles lighter in order to improve performance and also at the same time improve improve fuel economy. Carmakers make use of materials like carbon fiber, titanium and aluminum but the use of these are limited for mainstream vehicles because of the high cost.
Automakers across the globe is to make a more cost-efficient way of crafting carbon fiber, a material with an ideal strength-weight ratio making it ideal for vehicles. Brands like Lamborghini have found a way to make less expensive carbon fiber but it is not feasible for mass production.
Ford partnered with several groups like Toho Tenax, Aachen University, Evonik, IKV, Henkel, and Composite impulse for an umbrella projected dubbed as the Hightech NRW that aims to find new, cheaper ways to make carbon fiber.
The project aims to find a cheaper means of making carbon fiber, decrease production times, lessen the finishing work needed, meet the requirements for the application of paint, and decrease the weight of the components to about half of conventional parts.
So far the project has produced the hood for the Ford Focus made of plastic reinforced by carbon fiber that was shown during an event in Europe. The hood weighs about 50% less than the steel bonnet but still meets the requirements for crash protection, dent resistance, safety during pedestrian impact, and strength of material.
According to Ford, it is less likely that consumers will be able to see carbon fiber materials in mass produced cars but the technology is being developed to make the option affordable to the higher volume production vehicles.
