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Aluminum yes carbon fiber no. To expensive and to much retooling these plants are set up for metal not carbon fiber. There is no way the big3 are going to scrap there assembly plants to run carbon fibre.
The point is the future of the car not retooling costs - that is the excuse of corporations to maintain the status quo. Once carbon fibre is common the costs will drop.
The point is the future of the car not retooling costs - that is the excuse of corporations to maintain the status quo. Once carbon fibre is common the costs will drop.
When carbon fiber cost drop will the automakers take the plunge to reinvent new machinery to produce carbon fiber cars and trucks in the #'s that they do now. And what about the suppliers were will they get the money to build the new machinery to make the parts that the automaker's will need to keep up with production. Remember automakers do not stock parts like they use to. The use JIT delevery. That means that parts have to be at the plant on time to keep the assembly line going. Making a car is all about precise timing. You are talking about billions of $$$ to do something like this. Yes they make carbon fiber cars now but not on a scale that the Big3 make in a year you are talking about a whole new assembly process. And a whole lot of retraining for thousands of autoworkers.
Any engineer will tell you the car can be technically improved beyond recognition using existing tried and proven technology. The corporations do not like change. They build the cars down to a price - they make the cars out of cheap sheet steel. They build engines out of steel and iron with curtailed performance because of the low melting point of the metals. Ceramics now can take vastly higher temperatures which would improve propulsion units no end. We do not see ceramic engines for sale. Ceramic Wankels would be vastly more efficient for range extending.
the problem with ceramics, and the reason we dont see them being used as engine parts, is the fact that ceramics are still rather delicate, and as such wont be used in engines until that little drawback is solved.
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Originally Posted by Vannort54
Aluminum yes carbon fiber no. To expensive and to much retooling these plants are set up for metal not carbon fiber. There is no way the big3 are going to scrap there assembly plants to run carbon fibre.
rubbish. if automakers can build cars out of fiberglass, such as the corvette, on an assembly line, they can certainly build cars just as easily with carbon fiber since the techniques of making the parts is the same.
My 1982 Honda Cvcc wagon got 38 MPG, even today over 30 years later we still can't seem to build cars that do better, most BARELY get 38 mpg on a good day. The CVCC engine had a unique head design that was so good it could pass todays emissions inspections, it also helped get that 38 mpg.
The 2014 Civic gets 31 city and 41 hwy and the Corolla is rated at 30/42. Oh by the way they do it and get from 0-60 almost 5 seconds faster.
the problem with ceramics, and the reason we dont see them being used as engine parts, is the fact that ceramics are still rather delicate, and as such wont be used in engines until that little drawback is solved.
rubbish. if automakers can build cars out of fiberglass, such as the corvette, on an assembly line, they can certainly build cars just as easily with carbon fiber since the techniques of making the parts is the same.
What is the price of a corvette. Do you want to pay corvette prices for an impala. The corvette bodies are made by hand. Regular cars are made by automation and line workers.
Last edited by Vannort54; 10-13-2014 at 11:05 AM..
The 2014 Civic gets 31 city and 41 hwy and the Corolla is rated at 30/42. Oh by the way they do it and get from 0-60 almost 5 seconds faster.
Tell me this. Why is it that as soon as you slap SUV on what is practically a 4 seater the gas mileage drops. Take the current Rav4. It barely gets in the low 20s around town. Now if it was a permanent AWD I would understand but it is essentially a front wheel drive car. How is the engine different from the one in the Corolla?
Environmental laws will force makers into carbon fibre. It is strong and light. It is easily sandwiched to be insulated.
Great can they make carbon fiber frames also. And the EPA will not force automakers to switch to carbon fiber cars. The federal govt. dose not tell the automakers what to make they come up with mpg regulations and it's up to the automakers to get to that number. Steel is still king untill they can carbon fiber at steel prices and to be assembled at the same rate that they can make steel cars and make a prophet without charging the customer $80,000 dollars for a Focus.
They probably can. Strict eco aspects and emission will force the issue. Please try.
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