Today's cars contain so much plastic that this lightweight, cheap material could best be described as the chrome of our generation. And yet, researchers are finding new automotive applications for it every day. These wheels, for instance, are made of plastic. To be specific, the material is glass-reinforced plastic (GRP) and it one day may replace alloy, aluminum and, for the lucky few, carbon fiber, as our wheel material of choice. Though researchers at Fraunhofer in Germany have been working on GRP wheels for some time, they haven't been able to efficiently test them until now. A new type of simulation that allows them to manipulate the length, curvature and density of the glass fibers themselves in the wheel has opened the door to much better testing methods that should result in plastic wheels coming to the market much sooner. GRP wheels should be both lighter and less expensive than their metal counterparts, reducing the unsprung weight of your car and wallet at the same time. Where do we sign up?
[Source: Motor Authority]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Max @ Jun 22nd 2007 12:10PM
Didn't Chrysler use a fiber reinforced wheel on one of their late 80's- early 90's cars?
I guess this wouldn't be an entirely new technology.
Mannys207 @ Jun 23rd 2007 12:39PM
@Max. Indeed they did. I owned a 1989 Shelby CSX with "Fiberride" wheels. Basically a hardened fiberglass wheel of which one every 6 months would crack after hitting a pothole.
But then again I was driving on NY's BQE.
David @ Jul 2nd 2007 4:17PM
The '89 CSX wheel was widely said to be the first use of a composite wheel on a production car. (The variable-geometry turbocharger was first used in the '89 CSX, as well.) Interestingly, the CSX wheels are only slightly lighter than an aluminum wheel. There are not as light as you might expect.
BC @ Jun 22nd 2007 12:16PM
When I was an early teen, we had a Ford Tempo, and I'm quite certain that car had some kind of plastic wheel. IIRC, I even read an MT article, or saw it on the Motorweek TV show where they were testing a Merc Topaz, and part of the wheel melted during heavy braking tests.
Chet @ Jun 22nd 2007 12:17PM
Shelby CSX.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shelby_CSX
tim @ Jun 22nd 2007 12:21PM
How does this wheel compare to carbon fiber as durability and weight are concerned.
Solo Racer @ Jun 22nd 2007 12:35PM
Resilience is the big question. How many potholes can one of these take? How about if it's shod with a 35-series tire?
Mike @ Jun 22nd 2007 12:47PM
Oh for god's sake. Why do they have to try to make everything out of plastic. Plastic is not asdurable as metal, and will crack much more easily (glass reinforced or not). Now, instead of blow-outs, you'd have to contend with exploding wheels; because it will happen. Then you haven't a prayer. At least when a tire blows you can recover. But that would throw you so far off that flippidy flip you go.
Plastic wheels.... PAH! I said I wanted some hot wheels, not literally HotWheels.
Opposite Lock @ Jun 22nd 2007 12:51PM
You do realize that GRP is just a fancy way of saying fiberglass?
Guenther @ Jun 22nd 2007 5:24PM
Not exactly. Many consumer items are fiber re-enforced or fiber filled. That does not make them fiber glass. Its a fine distinction.
Spare tires is about all I would want to use a plastic wheel for, however.
HardwareGuy @ Jun 22nd 2007 1:16PM
Don't I want to reduce the weight of my car and INCREASE the weight of my wallet?
Joe K. @ Jun 22nd 2007 1:29PM
I remember from my plastic engineering college days a prof specifically saying "Plastic is not Load Bearing," so just how much weight are we banking on the plastic to hold? Interesting in concept, but I see more future elsewhere, I see this going the way of urethane tires...
godda9u @ Jun 22nd 2007 1:40PM
as long as it won't break into million pieces like carbon fiber, i might be interested to be use for autoX.
Petey @ Jun 22nd 2007 1:50PM
How would these stand up those -40 celcius Canadian winters? What about UV or chemical degradation?
Mike @ Jun 22nd 2007 2:04PM
Start making them as emergency spares. A lot less weight to haul around in your trunk, easier for people to lift out and install on the side of the road.
I'd rather see the airless Tweel : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tweel
But this would be a step in the right direction.
Ligor @ Jun 22nd 2007 2:32PM
nope, not for me just yet
i can see them in cars with soft suspension and samller cars, most will be 14-15" with plenty of sidewall to lower the stress when the tire hits those pot holes.
no one with performance and track days in mind will give up their forged Al for these plastic tires.
F451 @ Jun 22nd 2007 2:47PM
Here's a bit more on the subject and why they might now be feasible: German Researchers Develop Method For Quality Testing Lightweight Composite Wheels
When there click on the images to see and learn more.
F451 @ Jun 22nd 2007 2:48PM
http://www.gizmag.com/go/7442/gallery/
I guess Autoblog has changed the manner in which you can now list links.
L @ Jun 22nd 2007 5:12PM
A neat idea if it works, but ... we're trying to reduce our use of oil, but we're going to try to develop wheels made (partially) of plastic, which is derived from ... oil.
Unless they're going to be made from some kind of vegetable- or other-based oil, this sounds like a bad move in the long term.
John Metcalf @ Jun 22nd 2007 5:48PM
I would also guess that these are less recycleable than metal wheels, although I may be wrong about that.
I'm sure they can be down-cycled, ground up and used as filler or something.