New on the market: Carbon fiber rims

The automotive market is one of the most dynamic in the world. Each year, dozens of new car models enter mass production, each packed with increasingly innovative technologies. As the number of modern systems that facilitate driving and improve comfort and safety increases, vehicle weight increases, as, as we know, sensors, cables, modules, and so on, are not lightweight. Consequently, car manufacturers are seeking solutions that reduce vehicle weight. Cars with aluminum bodies and aluminum suspension components are quite popular, while a completely new product designed for customers with larger budgets are carbon fiber rims.

Carbon is a unique material used primarily for the production of components exposed to high loads yet with a relatively low weight. Examples of such solutions include wind turbine blades, aircraft propellers and fuselages, masts, rudders, and hulls of high-end yachts, and so on. Carbon is becoming increasingly popular in cycling. High-end bicycles feature carbon fiber frames and carbon rims . Formula 1 racing car bodies are also made of carbon fiber.

The desire to introduce carbon fiber into the mass automotive industry was only a matter of time. Of course, due to the astronomically high price of this material, the originators focused on high-end cars, and it's likely that many of us won't see a carbon fiber body or rims on our daily commute anytime soon.

After years of testing, the Australian company Carbon Revolution has mass-produced carbon fiber rims designated CR-9. Producing a single rim requires several kilometers of carbon fiber, which is then shaped into its final shape through complex technological processes. The finished product is almost half the weight of an aluminum rim, which translates to a weight reduction of several dozen kilograms for a set of four rims. Of course, this doesn't justify the price of a set of carbon fiber rims (PLN 60,000-80,000), but for potential buyers, uniqueness and standing out from other road users will likely be paramount. So far, only a few manufacturers have decided to offer this product as an option on limited editions of their cars, including BMW, Audi, Porsche, and Lamborghini. BMW plans to introduce a more affordable alternative: hybrid rims, composed of aluminum with a carbon fiber blend. This solution reduces weight by approximately 20%-25% compared to traditional aluminum rims.

Below you can see how carbon rims for the Porsche 911 Turbo S Exclusive Series are made.

Let's hope that over time, this unique material will become a permanent fixture in our everyday lives, and that the luxury of having, for example, carbon fiber rims on a car will be within reach of not only the wealthiest people in the world. In the meantime, for those who prefer to buy a mid-range car straight from the showroom instead of carbon fiber rims, we offer aluminum rims at a "slightly" lower price.