sustainable growth opportunities of carbon fiber

© Copyright STRUCTeam Ltd

Sustainable Growth

Opportunit ies of Carbon Fiber

in the Automotive Sector

Dr.-Ing. Roman Hillermeier

Competence in Automotive-Composites Engineering

& Development Services

2025

2020

2015

2010

Date: 5/12/2021 © Copyright STRUCTeam Ltd Slide: 2

S T R U C Te a m Lt d . I n t ro d u c t i o n

Renewable / Wind Energy

Marine

Material

Supply Chain

Manufacturing

Design

Engineering

Leading composites engineering services consultancyOil & Gas

Materials Industry

Automotive

Civil STL Formation

Pullwind

serv

ing

mu

ltip

le s

ect

ors

> 3

0 %

re

ven

ue

> 3

0 %

re

ven

ue

Wind

Energy

Transportation

~ 80% of revenue base


A ge n d a

History and Market of Automotive Carbon Fiber based Composite Applications

Trends & Drivers

Automotive Segments

CFRP Growth Areas


A u t o m o t i ve C o m p o s i t e s H i s t o r y

1953 Corvette C1. GFRP body

1957 Trabant, cotton reinforced phenolic exterior panels

Lotus Elite, GFRP monocoque

1960s SMC is invented

1972 All body panels of Corvette use SMC

1981 GM Corvette GFRP leafspring

First F1 monocoque in CFRP

2011 BMW I3 CFRP lifecell

Lamborghini Aventador CFRP monocoque


2 0 1 5 B M W 7 – I n d u s t r i a l i ze d C F R P P ro d u c t i o n

Focused CFRP deployment - Buildrate technologies > 50000/yr

Source:

CompositesWorld

A u t o m o t i ve C a r b o n F i b e r M a r ke t

0.000

5.000

10.000

15.000

20.000

2020 2026

Carbon Fiber (MT) in Auto Applications

2010 2015

Automotive % of Total Market for Carbon Fiber

Serial Production

Racing Cars, Sports

Cars, After Market,

Brake Discs, Wheels,

etc.

~5% ~8% ~9% ~10%

Source: CarbConsult

un

cert

ain

ty



M a r ke t S h a re fo r Pa s s e n ge r & C o m m e rc i a l Ve h i c l e s

b y Po w e r t ra i n Te c h n o l o g y

• @ 2kg CFRP / EV&FCEV in 2030 = 60kt market potential

• @ 4kg CFRP / EV&FCEV in 2040 = 300kt market potential

DISRUPTIVE MARKET

ENVIRONMENT

Opportunities

for

NEW

STRUCTURAL

LIGHT-WEIGHT

Materials

I) Powertrain Shift

II) Autonomous Driving

III) New Ownership

Models

IV) Trend I)-III) accelerate

product commoditization

NEV: BEV, FCEV Higher weight vs. ICEs

Increased safety requirements

More users / mileageHigher durability

Fast technology introductions

become key product differentiators

I m p a c t o f G l o b a l M a r ke t Tre n d s



Te c h n o l o g y I m p a c t o n E V A rc h i t e c t u re

Factor Structural Needs Functional

Integration

High vehicle weights ++ +

Package space / height impact by energy storage systems ++ ++

4wd & extreme acceleration + +

New risks from energy storage systems ++ ++

Growing sustainability importance – to + – to +

Clean sheet designs & green field production opportunities + +


Ve h i c l e S e g m e n t O p p o r t u n i t i e s

Vehicle Segment Applications Growth

Commercial vehiclesBus

Trucks

LCV – HCV

• Energy storage / powertrain

• Exterior

• Chassis

Strong incremental - select

opportunistic

PremiumSUV

Full-size

Mid-size

• Energy storage

• Structural – semi structuralExponential

Compact

• Energy storage Incremental

Super premiumSuper car

Luxury vehicles

…

• Structural

• Energy storage

• Exterior / Interior

• Chassis

Strong incremental


F u e l C e l l E l e c t r i c Ve h i c l e s

FUEL CELL

Electrode materials (anodes and cathodes)

=> Carbon fiber paper preferred solution

H2 STORAGE SYSTEMS

Type 4 composites tanks, 350-850 bar

GROWTH ENABLERS

• Competing “GFRP <-> CFRP” designs • Suitable CF supply chain & product portfolio

• Maximizing fiber utilization thru improved

technologies

Source: www.fuelcellstore.com

Source: Faurecia


E l e c t r i c Ve h i c l e B a tt e r y E n c l o s u re s( f o r B E V, F C E V, H E V )

Battery enclosures are complex structures which need to fulfill many requirements. Evolving vehicle architectures make advanced

composites an attractive material choice for the enclosures of future EVs.

COMPOSITE BENEFITS

+ Unsurpassed strength-to-weight ratio

+ Fire protection and insulation

+ Part integration capability

+ Buildrate flexible manufacturing technologies

+ Weight & cost

CHALLENGES

- Complexity in design & development

- Dispersed supply chain

- Integration into EV architecture

DEVELOPMENT NEEDS

❖ Improved structural & functional integration

❖ Stronger participation as structural member

❖ Simpler thermal management solutions

Source: Audi

Source: Tesla Battery Day

Source: Carmagazine

C F R P i n E V E n c l o s u re s

• Heat shielding

• Li-Fire protection

• EMI shielding

• Electrical insulation

• Thermal management - cooling

• Road impact

• Drive-obstacle impact (SUV)

• Maintenance abuse intrusion

• Thermal insulation

• Road-side fire protection

• Side, rear, front crash

• Water ingression

Load Spectrum from

• Battery weight

• Driving operation / BiW interaction

• Crash events

• …

Complex requirement profile

Vehicle & OEM specific objectives

Weight & space constraints


CFRP Enablers

High specific strength & stiffness capabilities

Multi material designs => use CFRP where it brings most value

Maximize component loading potential in design process

CFRP Inhibitors

Cost & supply

Sustainability aspects

Inefficient development process

M u l t i M a t e r i a l C o m p o s i t e E n c l o s u re s

- I n d u s t r y P ro g re s s -

Commercial

Feasibility

Concept Design

Detail Design

Prototype

Preproduction

Serial Production

TRL 1 - 3

TRL 9

TRL 7 - 8

TRL 5 - 6

TRL 4

Current Status

2023 – 2025 Date: 5/12/2021 © Copyright STRUCTeam Ltd Slide: 14

S T L’ E n c l o s u re D e ve l o p m e n t P ro c e s s

Development of light and cost competitive battery boxes & delivery into vehicle platforms

Fea

sib

ilit

y S

tud

y &

Bu

sin

ess

Ca

seO

EM

ne

w P

latfo

rm In

teg

ratio

n

Composites Battery Box Development

Design

Concept

Material

DefinitionPart Validation

Manufacturing

Process

Integration into existing Technology Platform

PHASE 1 PHASE 2 PHASE 3

2-3 months 6-9 months 6–24 months


C o n c l u s i o n s

Composites have achieved a good level of technical maturity

Sustainable growth opportunities for advanced composite materials with paradigm

shift to NEV powertrains

Growth potential for CFRPs are substantial in selected applications, but supply and

cost inhibit broad use in automotive

Needed innovation speed, require strong collaboration with development partners



C o n t a c t

Dr.-Ing. Roman Hillermeier

(Head of Transportation Business Sector)

E-mail: [email protected], T: +49 (0) 163 1665164

STRUCTeam Limited

Old Riggers Loft

Marina Walk,

Cowes, Isle of Wight

PO31 7XJ, UK

www.structeam-ltd.com

STRUCTeam Limited. Company registered in UK. Company Registration No. 7153259, VAT GB 178 7940 48

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.structeam-ltd.com/

sustainable growth opportunities of carbon fiber

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