OREANDA-NEWS. In the nearest future, carbon can become a widespread and readily available material. Research Company MAI, which is working together with the engineers of BMW and Audi, as well as German scientists, is looking for a way to reduce the cost of production of this composite.

As the head of the project, Klaus Drechsler, informed, scientists have already reached a certain intermediate point in their studies. According to him, the research team sees a way to maximize automation. It will not only reduce the cost of carbon seriously, but also to replace steel with composite materials in some of the key moments of the design of the car - for example, to make from it the power components of the mass models.

At the present moment widespread use of carbon, which is considered to be much lighter and stiffer than steel, it is impossible due to its cost, writes Avto.Vesti.Ru. Carbon fiber materials cost about USD 20 per kilogram, while the price of steel, used in the automotive industry - is less than one dollar per kilogram. However, the research group MAI, based in Augsburg, Germany, expects to reduce seriously the cost of production of carbon fiber.

This research project, which is valued at more than 100 million Dollars, is attended by about 70 interested corporations, including the aircraft manufacturer Airbus, the company Siemens, BMW and Audi. Similar studies to reduce the cost of carbon fiber are also held by Ford and General Motors.