Quote:
Originally Posted by Palm
It does pose the interesting question of how feasible it is with a modern ultralight car. Few cars today are below a 1000kg kerb weight. I wonder if some of the weight is used up for deformation zones etc.?
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It would be still economically viable to apply lightweight materials (such as a few vegetable fibers that can replace fiberglass) in mainstream vehicles, invest on engine downsizing (that 2-cylinder 0.9L engine from Fiat is a good example), and rationalizing the usage of metallic components in structural applications. Simplified interior designs may also work for that matter. Sure most of the weight increasement is related to deformation zones and other safety devices such as airbags, ABS brakes hardware, among others.