The car maker announced today the signing of a partnership with Voith, meant to produce fiber-reinforced materials. Audi plans that the products resulting from their partnership will allow it to mass produce lightweight vehicles. A time frame for the technology to be used by Audi for its cars has not yet been unveiled.
“We are concentrating on the manufacturing and recyclability of fiber-reinforced materials in the interest of a sustainable material cycle,” said Rupert Stadler, Audi chairman of the board.
“After all, part of our corporate responsibility is to face the challenge of harmonizing economic and environmental interests as we move toward using fiber-reinforced polymers in high-volume production. With Audi and Voith, the right partners have come together to handle these challenges.”
Such components are already in use in some high-performance Audi models, like the Audi R8 and the Audi RS 3. Voith's experience in using carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) parts in industrial plant design recommends it, believes Audi, as the ideal partner for the job.
“For Voith, technologies for the use of fiber-composite materials in industrial production are a key strategic competence. Given the ever-greater requirements for efficiency, coupled with the need to protect the environment and conserve resources, we are certain that this competence will be demanded by more and more markets in the future,” said Hubert Lienhard, Voith CEO.
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