OV9

Not just for Stockton Rush - for the planet.

https://www.pistonheads.com/news/genera ... tion/49969

Don't worry sir - you can still have your Clinchy Splines and Weasel Davits in carbon fibre - these are still offered as a £1500 optional extra. No price increase

I do still like them, but.....

Yes - I know where you are going. The wonderful news is that we are now offering both in Natural Fibre also sir.

That's good!

Yes. It's unfortunate that it's slightly more expensive - Natural Fibre is a <tap tap tap> £3675 option instead.

Oh. For the same items?

Well yes. But y'know. Saving the planet doesn't come cheap sir - we've done our very best <crosses fingers behind back> to keep the costs down for our customers......

Lets do it.

Hmmm. I pondered whether glass fibre may be better and the first two google results were a 2022 scientific paper stating: "the use of CFRP is likely to have a lower environmental impact than GFRP" followed by "Fiberglass production is less energy-intensive compared to carbon fiber, but it also poses recycling challenges." So that's nice and conclusive.

What I do take from that is the end of life issue. Yes there is energy required in production but that is measurable and can be considered in the context of the energy saved in the lifetime of the product made of carbon rather than steel or aluminium. Steel and aluminium are so easily recyclable though; I know glass fibre isn't and I assume carbon fibre isn't either, and it's going to be mainly down to the resin that the fibres are held by. I wonder how different this natural fibre is?

Jobbo wrote: Thu Jun 19, 2025 8:57 am Steel and aluminium are so easily recyclable though; I know glass fibre isn't and I assume carbon fibre isn't either...

It is, but it's expensive.

Maybe BMW can make Natural Fibre parts for old timers too, so I could replace the unrecyclable CFRP parts on my M3, with the natural fibres. Thus saving the planet.

Marv wrote: Thu Jun 19, 2025 5:37 pm Maybe BMW can make Natural Fibre parts for old timers too, so I could replace the unrecyclable CFRP parts on my M3, with the natural fibres. Thus saving the planet.

*the monkeys paw curls another finger*

BMW now sell M3 CSL parts in NF, but they all cost a miminum of £5,000 due to the low volume and demand.

Beany wrote: Thu Jun 19, 2025 5:39 pm

Marv wrote: Thu Jun 19, 2025 5:37 pm Maybe BMW can make Natural Fibre parts for old timers too, so I could replace the unrecyclable CFRP parts on my M3, with the natural fibres. Thus saving the planet.

*the monkeys paw curls another finger*

BMW now sell M3 CSL parts in NF, but they all cost a miminum of £5,000 due to the low volume and demand.

£5k isn’t too far off the price of replacement CF parts from BMW tbh

Looks like I picked the wrong time to launch a full carbon car

dan wrote: Thu Jun 19, 2025 9:17 pm Looks like I picked the wrong time to launch a full carbon car

You monster. won’t you think of the polar bears!

He can still pivot to using the natural materials, it'll be a great USP.

Bit late for that, bodywork returns next week from a months holiday being prepped and finished with satin lacquer....

I don’t think your business will be tbat affected by angry lentilists refusing to use you for their cars

Unless you are doing Nissan Leaf performance upgrades ?

Dave!

Never say never, I might have to diversify in the future

dan wrote: Fri Jun 20, 2025 8:20 am Bit late for that, bodywork returns next week from a months holiday being prepped and finished with satin lacquer....

Mushroom derived materials are the new thing!

Seem to be:

Matt covers leather, packing and building materials, bacon and pulled pork substitutes, sensors for robots, and the incredible efficiency of the technology. Quite interesting and promising.

DeskJockey wrote: Tue Jun 24, 2025 2:39 pm Mushroom derived materials are the new thing!

Magic!

Them too.