Ford to slash kerb weights with carbon-fibre
New subframe prototype said to reduce mass by 34 per cent over steel equivalentFord has revealed how in the future it will rely on greater use of carbon-fibre body and chassis parts to save weight in a bid to reduce fuel consumption and emissions.
Claimed to reduce mass by as much as 34 per cent compared to a stamped steel equivalent, a new subframe has been developed in co-operation with Canadian supplier, Magna.
As well as being lighter, the new carbon-fibre subframe is claimed to reduce complexity as it consists of just two moulded pieces and four metallic parts.
The same steel structure, meanwhile, is made up of 45 individual parts.
Ford claims that neither rigidity nor crash performance are compromised by using the lighter vehicle structure.
The US car-maker says that before it is approved for production, the carbon-fibre subframe will undergo real-world corrosion and stone-chip tests to guarantee durability over a car's lifetime.
Ford is under pressure to reach an average US fuel economy target for all vehicles of 50mpg (7.6L/100km) by 2025 - although those targets are now under review by president Donald Trump.
Commenting on the new carbon subframes, Ford's advanced engineering boss Mike Whitens said: “We must continue to work hard to achieve these lightweight solutions at the most affordable costs. Magna and Ford working together on this carbon-fibre composite subframe is a great example of collaboration on advanced materials”.
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