Quote:
Originally Posted by Blue Bomber Man
Kevlar is a good composite to use with carbon fiber, but without it I do not think it has the right properties for a vehicle. Kevlar provides excellent resistance to punctures and tears but the carbon provides much more support
I probably will use both together for their combined properties.
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I used all aramid and 'glass, no carbon for my all-composite frame and integrated suspension. Every fiber has its place. Do you have experience in composite construction? Half the potential weight savings can only be realized with advanced construction techniques. Carbon is not magic, just expensive. In the real world, toughness often counts for more than sheer strength, and stiffness works against that.
Something I found was that details such as turn signals and door seals are just as time-consuming and almost as essential to do right as the main systems. There's a lot to a car; many lifetimes of engineering have gone into the ones you see every day. For more typical products of small shops, see the post-war micro cars or current kit cars.
I am also dabbling at vehicle software. I found Rhino too limited, lacking parametrics and with some apparent bugs, but had good hopes for SketchUp pro. But I've been "away" for two years. Solidworks has a solid reputation.