Typically when cars are heavier, more power is required to make them move, why is why drivers who are concerned about performance tend to swap out certain parts for lighter versions, like a carbon fiber bonnet, or getting rid of the rear passenger seats, and so on. Well in a bid to help make their cars more fuel efficient, it seems that Audi is looking into replacing its current springs with springs made from fiberglass (pictured in the image above to the left).
As it stands, the current springs used in cars are typically made of steel, but Audi hopes that by the end of the year, they can start introducing cars that will use fiberglass springs instead. The core of the spring will be made from fiberglass strands, which will then be infused with epoxy resin and then twisted together. Audi will then wrap additional fiberglass around the core and cure the unit in an oven.
So apart from being lighter, what benefits are there to using fiberglass springs? Well they won’t corrode and won’t be damaged by wheel washing chemicals either, thus ensuring that they are able to last longer than their steel counterparts. According to Audi, the weight of the fiberglass springs will be about 1kg lighter.
Right now regular springs weigh about 2.7kg in an upper mid-sized car, but Audi claims that their new fiberglass springs will weigh 1.6kg instead. Audi also cites how the springs can be precisely tuned according to the driver’s needs as another benefit of using fiberglass.
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