Challenges and opportunities aplenty for automotive carbon fibre

With vehicle manufacturers hard pressed to meet the demands for faster, safer vehicles, whilst boosting fuel economy and cutting tailpipe emissions, any solution that ticks multiple boxes is being investigated. Carbon fibre does just that; it is extremely light, stiff and resistant to corrosion. However, it is also expensive, and widely out of reach for cost sensitive vehicle segments.

Through conversations with key stakeholders, Automotive World has found that there is more to it than simply raw material pricing. In this article, vehicle manufacturers, materials specialists and Tier 1 suppliers give their view on why the industry appears hesitant to utilise carbon fibre more widely, and to understand why its outlook for future growth is changing for the better.