Carbon fibre is, as the name suggests, a material made entirely from carbon, which is known for characteristics like light-weight, strength, stiffness, and high-temperature resistance.
Carbon fibre is widely used on performance cars such as Ferraris, Bugattis, and Paganis, for the very reasons that we mentioned in the previous slide. They are used in the cars’ chassis, body panels, wings, and even in interior elements.
Media reports suggest that the European Union is considering putting a ban on use of carbon fibre on vehicles, tagging it as a ‘hazardous material’, posing danger on coming in contact with human skin. This is, notably, the first time ever that carbon fibre is being seen as hazardous.
The ban could potentially be put into effect just four years from now, i.e., 2029. This would be a significant hit to high-end performance car manufacturers all over the world, with major carmakers being based out of Europe and the countries being major global markets of performance cars.
Current list of hazardous materials, as specified by the European Union, includes lead, mercury, cadmium, and more. But, these materials are still used in certain automotive components.
The global carbon fibre market was estimated to be worth around $ 5.5 billion, with a major share of all carbon fibre produced used by the automotive industry.