(PlasticsToday) -- General Motors (Detroit) and carbon fiber and composites company Teijin Limited (Osaka) plan to co-develop advanced carbon fiber composite technologies for potential high-volume use globally in GM cars, trucks and crossovers.
The co-development pact involves use of Teijin's innovative carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic (CFRTP) technology, a faster and more efficient way to produce carbon fiber composites. This potentially enables GM to introduce CFRTP components on mainstream vehicles. For Teijin, the arrangement could lead to widening its portfolio beyond specialty and high-end automotive carbon fiber applications.
As carbon fiber is 10 times stronger than regular-grade steel yet only one-quarter of the weight, carbon fiber composites used as automobile components are expected to dramatically reduce vehicle weight. Consumers will benefit from lighter weight vehicles with better fuel economy and all the safety benefits that come with vehicles of greater mass.