Carbon fibre 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 fibre roofs for its M cars to help lower their centre of gravity, and Nissan, Ferrari, and GM have used the composite material to help save weight on supercars such as Nissan's GT-R, Ferrari's F430 Scuderia, and the Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1.

Lightweight body panels, monocoque chassis, engine under covers and other parts can be made from carbon fibre composites to save weight, which saves fuel by decreasing the mass to be accelerated by the engine. The implications for the future of fuel consumption and relevant regulations are obvious. The only major problem facing the widespread adoption of carbon fibre is the cost - but companies in Japan are working on projects to bring carbon fibre to the masses.

Japan’s central role in the carbon fibre industry
Japan accounts for about 50% of the world’s total carbon fibre output each year, thanks to the work of two companies, Toray and Teijin. Both are working to develop new carbon-fibre composites that combine low cost and light weight for application in the next generation of hybrid and standard vehicles.

Currently, the two primary barriers to low-cost carbon fibre production are the high energy costs of the manufacturing process and the length of time - hours, at a minimum - necessary to mould and cure carbon fibre parts.

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

According to the Nikkei newspaper, the Japanese government will also provide close to $20 million over the next five years for the project. 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.

Toray currently supplies Nissan with carbon-fibre for its GT-R, 350Z and Infiniti G35 and G37 models.

Advantages and disadvantages of carbon fibre and sheet metal
Traditional sheet metal offers several advantages over carbon fibre. It requires only seconds to stamp, and despite the difficult process of smelting, moulding and rolling out sheets of steel, the carbon fibre production process is still energy-intensive in comparison.

Thin strands of pitch, rayon or a material known as PAN are baked in ovens at temperatures of 1,982 degrees Celsius until they are 95% percent or more pure carbon, then the threads are woven into yarns or cloths to be integrated into various types of components, much in the way fibreglass is used. The cloths are ‘laid up’ with wet epoxy then moulded to form their final shape. Once the epoxy is cured, the piece is strong and relatively light.

Another type of carbon fibre, known as ‘dry’ carbon fibre, is produced in a similar manner, though it starts out as a roll of carbon fibre pre-impregnated with a dry resin that once heated in a mould, melts and hardens to assume the new shape. This method results in stronger and lighter forms, since the more even distribution of carbon and resin results in less total material necessary to create an equally strong piece. This method is more labour-intensive and requires more expensive equipment and materials, and is therefore primarily reserved for high-end supercars and racing teams.

Only about 1% of all the carbon fibre produced in the world is currently used for automotive applications, but as carbon fibre prices come down, and fuel prices rise along with safety standards that pressure manufacturers to improve crash results and structural integrity without increasing weight, that figure is expected to grow rapidly.

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