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BMW to Launch Carbon Fiber Wheels Within Two Years

German automaker BMW is planning to launch full carbon fiber wheels within the next two years using technologies developed during the i3 and i8 projects, Auto Express reports.
BMW i8 1 photo
Photo: BMW
The new wheels will be about 35 percent lighter compared to forged alloy wheels, BMW lightweight construction manager Franz Storkenmaier told the aforementioned source.

“We save 25 percent in weight compared to a forged alloy wheel with the hybrid wheel and another 10 percent if it’s completely carbon. It’s the most important kind of weight because it’s unsprung mass and there are also rotating mass advantages,” Storkenmaier said.

But before these wheels become available to customers, BMW still needs to convince European regulators that they’re strong enough for daily use. Not a problem, added Storkenmaier, who claims that carbon fiber wheels are “more damage resistant to kerb hits than standard alloy wheels because the damage polishes out really easily.”

In addition to these new wheels, BMW is also considering introducing a full carbon fiber steering wheel that uses a carbon skeleton and a carbon frame. The latter is still far away from becoming a production part.

Story via AutoExpress
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About the author: Ciprian Florea
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Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer.
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