All the specialized media immediately published the news: The European Union intended to ban carbon fiber in cars as of 2029. There had never been even the slightest rumor of such a possibility, and for Managing Composites — where we live and breathe composite materials — the news was both surprising and hard to make sense of.
The source was soon discovered. In a preliminary draft for the End-of-Life Vehicles (ELV) Directive, carbon fiber was listed as a hazardous material. When the European Union was asked about this unexpected inclusion, they recognized that it was a mistake and immediately removed the draft.
Figure 1. Carbon fiber won’t be banned for cars in the European Union
The European Union has for many years been committed to more sustainable vehicles that reduce their energy consumption, and carbon fiber is a strategic element for this. The electrification of the car fleet has also been strongly promoted, and carbon fiber plays a key role in enabling the widespread adoption of this technology.
At Managing Composites, we know that European Union experts are fully aware of the role of carbon fiber in improving the sustainability of mobility. We see it every day in the industry, but we have also recently successfully completed the MC4 project — funded by the European Union itself — in which several companies have developed technologies for a Circular Process Chain for Carbon and Glass Fiber Composites.
Figure 2. Carbon fiber is crucial for making electric vehicles more efficient
Challenges and opportunities in the recyclability of composites in the automotive industry
It is true that composites face challenges in terms of their recyclability, especially those based on thermosetting matrices. That is why there are hundreds of companies, universities, laboratories and public institutions developing research programs to overcome the technical challenges that composites still present. This way, more and more applications will be able to benefit from all the advantages offered by composite materials.
The automotive industry has not only been a global benchmark for Europe’s technological capabilities, but has long been a driving force behind the continent’s economy, development and social welfare. Much of its innovation has been — especially in Europe — linked to improving the energy efficiency of automobiles. New materials and the solutions they enable have been, are and will continue to be one of the keys to European technological leadership in this sector.
Figure 3. Carbon fiber car chassis. Credit: Pava
At Managing Composites we are passionate about composite materials and we are involved in some of the most exciting carbon fiber developments in the world. We work every day pushing the boundaries of what is achievable with composites, and that is why we can confidently assure everyone who has asked us — and there have been many — that carbon fiber will not be banned. On the contrary, we can safely say that we will see it in more and more applications.