Update: Japanese firms developing carbon-fiber for mass production

Posted Thu Jul 31 2008 8:05 AM by Viknesh Vijayenthiran

Carbon-fiber is seen by many in the auto industry as one of the most effective ways of reducing vehicle weight and improving fuel economy and emissions levels, but the relative expense of the material means that it’s still reserved for only a handful of high-end production cars. BMW has effectively used carbon-fiber roofs for its M cars to help lower their center of gravity, and Nissan and General Motors have used the composite material to help save weight for the GT-R and ZR1 supercars.

For most carmakers, mainstream carbon-fiber use is still several years away but a number of Japanese firms, including carbon-specialists Toray Industries and Mitsubishi Rayon, are reportedly working closely with Nissan and Honda to develop a new, low-cost carbon-fiber material for use in mass-produced cars.

The Japanese government will provide close to $20 million over the next five years for the project, and the University of Tokyo is also taking part. The final goal is to be able to mass produce the material by the mid-2010s and to make vehicles 40% lighter than current models. Such a saving in weight could potential reduce fuel-consumption and emissions by more than 30%.

Speaking with the Nikkei, a spokeswoman for Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) said the government was also researching the further use of aluminum and other light weight metals to replace much of the steel used on vehicles. Also under investigation is technology to recycle carbon-fiber and help reduce production costs.

Both Honda and Nissan confirmed they were exploring various new materials to use on vehicles but denied there were involved in the government funded project to produce cheap carbon-fiber.

Reader Comments

Thu Jul 24 2008 10:16 PM
Gus says

It's about time. I felt the power of CF recently when I picked up a water ski made of it. It was 1/4 the wieht of a normal water ski, and you could stand on it and it just didn't bend at all. It is like nothing you have ever touched before, it is so amazing.
Fri Jul 25 2008 12:42 AM
david says

this artical is is pointless.
Fri Jul 25 2008 12:45 AM
david says

sorry there is a point I was tired as missed the paragraph about the mass production of CF.
Fri Jul 25 2008 4:04 AM
Andrey says

well it's great that they are workin for the whole industry, manufacturers should contribute and work together
Fri Jul 25 2008 8:34 PM
SuperSkyline89 says

Can anyone say greatest automotive breakthrough of the decade?
Thu Jul 31 2008 9:13 AM
mlevere1992 says

The only thing that I worry about is repair costs. If cars are going to be made of CF you can't just patch one panel or bang out a dent. You would have to replace the whole panel. Insurance costs on any of the cars that are made of the stuff are going to be very high.

Don't get me wrong, I am all for weight savings and I love carbon fiber if done in the right way but if it is going to be mainstream there are other implications other than MPG and weight savings.
Thu Jul 31 2008 12:36 PM
ROOLLY says

Aluminum is still more economical to produce. Carbon fiber is a structural composite material where as aluminum alloy is a heterogeneous material. Body work on a composite body will entail complicated high tech labor and technique.
Thu Jul 31 2008 2:36 PM
Dandan says

this was one of the things I was thinking of investing in - a carbon fiber producing company as demand for it can only rise and rise

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