Demand for Carbon Fiber Growing

Carbon fiber-reinforced plastics remain a niche material within the automotive industry nearly half a century since their development.

Limited mainly to racing and sports-car applications, demand is still small at about 1,000 tons (907 t) annually.

Global carbon-fiber demand, in all industrial sectors, stood at 23,000 tons (20,865 t) in 2009 and is expected to grow 20% this year to 28,000 tons (25,400 t).

Toray Industries Inc., the world's largest producer of high-performance carbon fiber, currently supplies about 600 tons (544 t) annually to global auto makers and reports annual sales of ¥7 billion-¥8 billion ($77 million-$88 million).

But by 2020, the Japan-based supplier expects sales to grow to ¥100 billion ($1.1 billion), up more than 10-fold from current levels, due to the introduction of a series of new thermoplastic-based composites.

Toray supplies carbon fiber-reinforced plastics (CFRP) for a range of automotive components, including seatback shells, body panels, spoilers and high-pressure fuel tanks for hydrogen fuel-cell and compressed-natural-gas vehicles.

Arguably, the most significant application due to its mass-market potential is driveshafts.

First introduced on Mitsubishi Motor Corp.'s Pajero SUV in 1997, Toray-designed driveshafts since been have adopted by Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. on its 350Z, 370Z and GT-R sports coupes, Mazda Motor Corp. on its RX-8 sports car and Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd. on its DB9 and V8 Vantage luxury sports cars.

To date, the supplier has sold material for 1 million units.

Toray's driveshafts, designed with one less joint (two instead of three), are 50% lighter and carry a price premium of only 10% compared with steel shafts, executive Kazumichi Ebisutani says.

For the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren supercar, Toray composites were utilized on outer panels, tubs, seatback shells and front-bumper supports.

Similarly, Porsche AG adopted Toray materials for outer panels and tubs on the Carrera GT.

BMW AG employs CFRP for the roof of its M3 coupe. By switching to carbon fiber, the auto maker says roof weight was reduced from 15 lbs. (7 kg) to 7.5 lbs. (3.5 kg).

Additionally, Mitsubishi adopted the material for the rear spoiler on its Lancer Evolution VIII and IX models.

Nissan uses Toray fibers for the radiator core support on the Infiniti G37 front-end module and estimates a 15% weight savings, from 10 lbs. (4.5 kg) to 8.4 lbs. (3.8 kg).

With existing processing technology, Ebisutani estimates an auto maker could trim 900 lbs. (408 kg), or 30%, from a 3,300-lb. (1,497-kg) vehicle, including 330 lbs. (150 kg) from the body structure.

“But that won't happen without a major overhaul in the (body assembly) line,” he adds. Still, Ebisutani is optimistic CFRP demand will grow substantially in the coming decade.

As an example of future business prospects, Toray in April entered into a joint venture with Daimler AG to develop CFRP components for Mercedes-Benz vehicles by spring 2013.

Daimler has set a corporate target to reduce body-in-white mass 10% to compensate for added weight from new safety and comfort systems.

Ebisutani also believes electrification of cars will create new opportunities, such as in battery separators.

To promote its automotive business, the supplier opened a ¥2.5 billion ($27 million) technical center in Nagoya in 2008.