Effect of lightened automobiles on the environmental problem due to Asian motorization

This paper indicates that lightened automobiles are effective for mitigation of environmental burdens in the transport sector, and proposes that applying CFRP (carbon fiber reinforced plastics) to panel, plate and structural members for lightening the automobiles is one of the solutions. Annual world energy consumption will increase 4.5 times compared with the present due to Chinese motorization. So, we consider that energy saving and CO/sub 2/ reduction in the transport sector is important. We estimate that the basic unit of energy consumption by an ultra lightened automobile is one-third compared with the present when applying CFRP to an automobile. In the following, in 2050, the amount of energy saving by applying CFRP to Chinese automobiles is about 450 Mtoe (mega ton of oil equivalent) which is 150% of the current annual Japanese total energy consumption, compared with BAU (business as usual) case. We consider the effect of ultra-lightened automobiles on the environmental problems due to Chinese motorization. At once, we identify that discontinuous CF (carbon fiber)/TP (thermoplastics) preforming for a composite can be realized in experiment, and discuss that improvement in mechanical properties, mitigation of environmental burdens and cost saving of CFRP parts compared with lightened metal parts in mass production is necessary for producing an ultra lightened automobile.