Towards a lighter and more sustainable future: the irruption of composite materials in the transportation industry as a bet on the future.

It is becoming increasingly vital to seek for sustainable and long-lasting options to aid in the fight against climate change. One solution is found in composite materials, which have revolutionized automotive leaf springs over the last decade and are now paving the way for the electrification of the automotive sector, as we are doing at Ziur Composite Solutions, a subsidiary of the MBHA Group.

The light- and heavy-duty automotive industry has expressed great interest in innovating all aspects of present suspension systems, progressively introducing solutions based on composite materials due to their superior features and characteristics. Composite materials can significantly lower the suspension system’s total weight while also enhancing dampening qualities. This slight improvement has a major impact on freight trucks, where the entire weight of the vehicle can be decreased by up to 60%, enhancing efficiency and load capacity, both of which are critical characteristics for the transportation sector.

Furthermore, this remarkable material and weight optimization will be most advantageous in the process of vehicle electrification, a process in which the MBHA Group will also play a critical role thanks to its innovation and development processes.

On the one hand, the volume and profile of the leaf springs are lowered; on the other hand, the vehicle’s overall weight is reduced, enabling the number of batteries to be increased, further enhancing range and load capacity in comparison to a combustion vehicle. By increasing autonomy and, consequently, range, an array of possibilities opens up for addressing the shortcomings that are currently impeding widespread adoption of electrified vehicles, thereby removing some of the uncertainties that are impeding the transport of goods in large electrified vehicles.

To recap, composite materials, such as those utilized in automobile leaf springs, are accelerating electrification and sustainability in the light and heavy-duty automotive sectors. By opting for materials and techniques with a lower carbon footprint, a wider application range, and greater resistance, they help to overcome the limitations of batteries, thereby encouraging the widespread adoption of automotive electrification.

This revolution has been ongoing for years in the laboratories and innovation centers of the MBHA Group, and our commitment to this promising and disruptive future is tangible every day through the technological advancements proposed by Ziur Composite Solutions and MBHA itself, in the form of innovative suspension solutions for the transportation industry.