There's a brand new high performance material that's here to rival carbon fiber

Watch out carbon fiber – a brand new high-performance material is on the scene – its name? AmpliTex.

We all know that carbon fiber is a brilliant material for high-performance cars, thanks to its strength-to-weight properties.

However, it’s very pricey and impractical to make at scale.

Swiss company Bcomp is looking to provide its alternative ampliTex with a more environmentally conscious material.

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This new high-performance material is set to rival carbon fiber

When high-performance cars come up in conversations, carbon fiber is frequently mentioned.

But the reality is that the manufacturing process is energy-intensive and produces low-yields.

So, where does that leave the future of this market?

Well, some engineers are hoping that natural materials could be the way forward, with flax fibers substituting for carbon fibers.

Swiss company Bcomp is leading the way on this front, with a product called ampliTex, Popular Mechanics reported.

To create a solid object, the fibers need to be woven together into sheets, laminated, and then inserted into a resin.

Bcomp said that its product can be made using existing methods that were already used to make carbon fiber – and that manufacturers could even use the same molds.

The main advantage that flax fibers have over carbon is that it is naturally occurring and thus renewable.

BMW recently announced it would be using Bcomp’s materials for many parts that were previously carbon fiber – exterior parts and interior parts alike.

Will we be seeing more of flax fibers in the future? Watch this space.

Flax fibers – helping fast cars go green

We’ve been seeing a lot more of flax fibers in the world of cars.

Skoda’s Enyaq RS concept proved that this bio-composite fiber could actually make the car go faster.

Polestar has already toyed around with the material in this one-of-a-kind concept car.

There certainly seems to be a lot of benefits and arguments in favor of its usage.

And it’s not just cars that could be set to gain from its wider use – public transport, sports, marine equipment, and general infrastructure could all chalk this up as a positive.

Ultimately, if it’s good for the environment and enhances performance, it sounds like a win-win in our book.

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