A company that manufactures carbon-fiber parts for Formula 1 race cars and other high-performance vehicles, as well as the aerospace and defense industries, has launched an off-the-shelf carbon-fiber chassis designed for road and race cars.
Dash-CAE, based in Abingdon, U.K., on Tuesday revealed the TR01, a carbon monocoque chassis that forms a vehicle's passenger cell and to which front and rear subframes attach. It is aimed at low-volume manufacturers and is priced from below 30,000 British pounds (approximately $38,470), which according to Dash-CAE is roughly half the price of comparable rival solutions.
DASH-CAE's TR01 chassis
Dash-CAE said it was compelled to launch the chassis due to the “substantial” growth of the hypercar market, as well as strong demand from the motorsport sector for affordable monocoques.
“The TR01 chassis opens new possibilities for niche automotive manufacturers, and larger international OEMs by offering an affordable, versatile, lightweight, and high-stiffness carbon monocoque chassis,” Tim Robathan, Dash-CAE's CEO, said in a statement.
WAE, previously the technology division of the Williams F1 team, last year unveiled a complete platform designed for electric hypercars. Called the EVR, WAE's platform also features a carbon monocoque and can support outputs up to 2,212 hp.
DASH-CAE's TR01 chassis
Dash-CAE's TR01 chassis is designed for two-seat vehicles and can accommodate gas, hybrid, and fully electric powertrains. According to the company, it weighs less than 110 pounds and meets global crash safety standards, including the NHTSA's FMVSS standards.
The company said it was able to reduce costs due to its in-house approach to all aspects of the chassis' development, including engineering and design, manufacturing (including additive manufacturing), tooling, and more.
The company hasn't said whether it already has any customers lined up for the TR01 chassis.
