Supercar is first vehicle with graphene panels

LIVERPOOL-based BAC has become the first manufacturer in the world to develop a car featuring panels made from graphene, a material up to 200-times stronger than steel but at a fraction of the weight.

BAC has partnered with Loughborough-based Haydale Composite Solutions to create rear wheel arches made out of the material.

The finished car, the Mono, is the world’s only road legal single-seater supercar.

Graphene is made of sheets of carbon just one atom thick, and is significantly lighter than standard carbon fibre. It is also stronger than carbon fibre, meaning that it can bring weight reductions of around 20% while being 200 times stronger than steel.

The benefits to the motorsport sector are obvious but the material also offers cost, performance and fuel economy advantages when applied to the wider in the manufacturing process.

BAC chose to test the use of graphene on the rear wheel arches of the car due to the size and complexity of the part. This enabled it to thoroughly test the manufacturing process and how the material fitted in with the car.

BAC development director and co-founder, Neill Briggs said: “BAC is uniquely placed in the automotive industry to be able to take innovative steps, and latest work with graphene is further proof of this.

“This development work is further proof of our ability to work with the very latest materials and innovators. At BAC we don’t wait for new technology to come to us, we actively seek it out and work with the very best in the industry to stay at the forefront of the automotive and motorsport industries.

“Making significant weight savings and improving body strength will allow us to offer improved performance to our customers.”

Ebby Shahidi, director of aerospace and defence, Haydale Composite Solutions, said the tests had shown some major increases in impact and thermal performance coupled with improved surface finish.

“It’s pleasing to see these attributes being demonstrated on such a high performance vehicle as the Mono,” he said.

“We look forward to collaborating further with BAC and delivering even higher performance materials and components to increase the performance of this exciting vehicle.”

BAC recently showed the graphene-enhanced Mono at the Science in the City festival in Manchester.