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ELG Carbon Fibre Ltd. (Coseley, U.K.) and Adesso Advanced Materials Co. Ltd. (Wuhu, China) have announced their memorandum of understanding regarding cooperation to develop lightweight composite components for the automotive industry based on ELG’s recycled carbon fiber materials.
Initially the companies will focus on applications to make the Chery eQ1 electric vehicle lighter. The longer-term intent is to apply to Chery’s conventional vehicles the knowledge gained from the eQ1 project. Chery New Energy Automobile Technology Co. Ltd. is also located in Wuhu, China.
If technical and commercial targets are achieved, ELG, Adesso and Chery could start full-scale production of carbon fiber composite parts in Wuhu. The agreement may lead to an ELG carbon fiber recycling operation in China.
Dr. Bo Liang, Adesso president, chairman and CEO, says that through the use of recycled materials and collaboration, the partners may help offset barriers preventing large-scale use of carbon fiber composites in automotive applications. At the top of the list is cost. He also sees the recycled composites hub as a way to strengthen the vision of a sustainable composite industry in China.
Gao Lixin of Chery says by using shared knowledge and recycled materials to reduce the weight of vehicles, all involved in the projects can meet environmental as well as performance targets.
ELG Carbon Fiber Ltd. has created the first carbon fiber recovery plant in the West Midlands, U.K. and is actively involved in the transportation sector globally. Adesso Advanced Materials, based in Wuhu, Anhui Province, China, specializes in the development of recyclable composite materials and structures used in transportation, industrial, sports and leisure applications.