Comments on: Automakers Seek Ways to Shed Weight

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 13:02:38 +0000

The size of the vehicles should come down but to shed weight is a must. -forex contest

By: Jim1961

Jim1961 — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 02:19:30 +0000

As a car nut and racecar enthusiast I think Carbon fiber is awesome but the cost is still way too high. Also, carbon fiber cannot be recycled.

By: Leon

Leon — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 00:53:34 +0000

reducing weight may result in serious safety concerns. therefore, there is a limit.

By: Carl

Carl — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 20:30:24 +0000

No Problem!
The administration will soon limit car ownership to senators and high government officials only!

By: JamesDavis

JamesDavis — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 12:23:30 +0000

A few months back, Scientific American magazine ran an article about carbon fiber auto bodies. There is a professor at the Rockey Mountain Institute that has developed a carbon fiber body and under framing; you can just sit your engine right in it and it is so light that one man can pick the whole car body up and carry it anywhere (without the engine in it of course). The carbon frame and body is tougher than steel and can withstand a 150 mph impact and most often the driver lives.

West Virginia manufactures tons of carbon and ships it to Texas where they turn it into carbon fiber to build race car bodies. Texas can rive up the production of the carbon fiber and the price of it then would be less than steel or plastic.

The auto makers don't have a leg to stand on when they complain about not having the ability to lower the weight of their fat vehicles. They can talk to that professor at RMI and he can show them how to knock 75% or more weight off their cars.

By: Max Reid

Max Reid — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 02:58:21 +0000

Latest CNG powered vehicles are using Composite cylinder which gives extra strength and also lighter weight. Automakers can also jump on Fiber to reduce weight, but they are not interested.

Meanwhile Tata Nano (World cheapest) car is using Carbon fiber body. How come they were able to sell such a product for $2,500.

Also Airbus and Boeing are developing planes made of carbon fiber.

Lets see how quickly the automakers can jump into carbon fiber.
But the size of the vehicles should come down.

By: Charles

Charles — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 22:35:20 +0000

The price of carbon fiber products in other industries has come way down. In the late 80's a carbon fiber bicycle would be $4,000 or more. Now you can get one at Performance Bikes for $1,400.

I think you will see a lot of research into how to manufacture a wide range of automotive parts out of carbon fiber with titanium hard points. This is how bicycle manufacturing has gone (at the high end) and I expect the transportation industry to go the same way. I could easily see heavy suspension parts made from carbon fiber.