LIGHT PLASTIC CAR
October 1st, 2004
BY KEITH NUTHALLA EUROPEAN Union (EU) research consortium has announced a breakthrough in cutting the weight of cars, producing and testing a full-scale carbon fibre floorpan, to be combined with sills, roof, pillars and side panels from the same material. The TECABS project claims its advanced composite has yielded a floorpan 50% lighter than its steel equivalent, using 70% fewer parts. The result, it claims are safe and fast cars requiring smaller engines and so have fewer polluting emissions. A TECABS note said it had "exploited advanced multiaxial technology, ...
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