BAC Mono becomes first car to trial graphene
The latest BAC Mono becomes one of the first cars to use graphene as a lightweight alternative to carbon fibre.
Do you know what graphene is? It might just be the new lightweight material that exotic car manufacturers are choosing to replace carbon fibre with. Discovered in 2004, graphene is now making headway into the motor industry.
Graphene is constructed from carbon sheets that are just one atom thin and its incredibly stable properties ensure that despite being some 20% lighter than carbon fibre, graphene is stronger too and therefore safer.
The first car to feature graphene in key structures is the BAC Mono for ‘performance and cost’ benefits. For now the latest BAC Mono limits graphene use to the rear arches because according to Haydale Composite Solutions, the rear arches provided the ideal size vs complexity ratio for proper performance testing.
Neil Briggs, BAC’s co-founder and development director, said: “Making significant weight savings and improving body strength will allow us to offer improved performance to our customers.”
Ebby Shahidi, Haydale Composite Solutions’ director of aerospace and defence said: “These initial materials have shown some major increases in impact and thermal performance coupled with improved surface finish, and it’s pleasing to see these attributes being demonstrated on such a high-performance vehicle as the Mono.”
“We look forward to collaborating further with BAC and delivering even higher-performance materials and components to increase the performance of this exciting vehicle.”
