Honda & Nissan want to mass produce carbon-fiber vehicles

Redneck and I have a discussion about making lightweight cars out of alternative materials, which we’ll be posting soon, but this news just came across me (even though the article is from late last month) and I thought it was worth posting.

Honda and Nissan are joining Toray Industries to develop more cost effective ways of building auto bodies out of carbon-fiber rather than steel.  They say this should be possible by the middle of next decade and could shave 40% of the weight off a standard steel bodied car.

For Refined and myself, this is one of many things we have been discussing and I’m very glad to see it may be happening!

HONG KONG (MarketWatch) — Japanese auto giants Honda Motor Co. and Nissan Motor Co. have joined with Toray Industries Inc. to develop a new carbon-fiber material for use in auto bodies, aiming to mass produce cars that are lighter by as much as 40% than steel-built vehicles, according to a report Thursday.

The group aims to establish mass production technology for the new material by the middle of the next decade, the Nikkei business daily reported, without citing a source.

The joint efforts come during steep increases in iron ore prices recently, which have in turn inflated steel prices and raw material costs for automakers across the world.

Although carbon fiber now is several times more expensive than steel or aluminum, the price gap is expected to narrow because there is significant room for increasing production of the new material, according to the report.

If successful, the efforts will help produce lighter vehicles than can also improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions.

Successful mass production would also be a big leap in the evolution of the automotive industry, as although it is tough and light, carbon fiber’s high costs currently limit its usage to concept cars and a select few high-end sports vehicles.

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