Abstract

Original equipment manufacturers' (OEMs') objectives for safety, coupled with customer demands for space, performance, extra features and minimal noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) caused the average light-duty vehicle weight to increase each year between 1987 and 2004. As a result, the pressure to produce lighter, more fuel efficient vehicles is stronger than ever before. It is generally accepted that a reduction in vehicle mass of 10% results in an improvement in fuel economy of 6–8%. This represents the area of focus of this chapter – specifically the development of low-cost carbon fiber materials destined for automotive applications and the associated potential mass reductions achievable. Vehicle lightweighting represents one of several design approaches automakers are currently evaluating to improve fuel economy and lower emissions. The high cost of the fiber remains the largest hurdle to production implementation of carbon fiber composites as a structural vehicle material.