Anand Group partners Far-UK to develop vehicle-weight-slashing carbon fibre structural composites

The 17-company Anand Group and Far-UK, a product and process designer of lightweight structural composite materials, have inked a collaboration for developing innovative solutions aimed at reducing emissions. The product is claimed to have  the potential for reducing vehicle weight by almost 50%, with strength matching that of high-strength alloy steel at the weight of aluminium. This will help reduce fuel consumption and also enable OEMs to use smaller engines.

The Anand Group estimates a potential revenue forecast of around Rs 600 crore by 2025. The collaboration has the potential to positively impact vehicles used in last-mile connectivity, intra-city transportation of people and goods across segments of two-, three- and four-wheelers for a variety of applications.

This partnership will explore and create first-to-the-world applications in the automotive sector, unique to India. The goal is to use carbon fibre judiciously and efficiently in the composite, which would be engineered for structural strength, deploying innovative manufacturing methods to cater to low and medium volume requirements, in the Indian context.

With the automotive world facing the challenge of stringent norms on Green House Gas (GHG) emissions, OEMs are hard-pressed to reduce vehicle weight but also ensure strength and safety. In India too, BS VI norms are to be mandated from April 2020 while the government is enforcing driving standards through Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency/Economy (CAFE) regulations, with an ambitious goal of reducing emissions to 95 gm of CO2/km in the coming years. And, even though EVs do not have any tailpipe emissions, looking at the overall well-to-wheel chain in India, they have about 20% higher carbon footprint in manufacturing as compared to ICE-propelled vehicles.

Anand Group believes to make BS VI and EVs economically viable, while reducing emissions, every aspect of vehicle has to be looked at and lightweighting is one way to help achieve targeted emission norms.

“Far-UK has been looking for some time for the right partner to work with in India. We know that making vehicles lighter will help reduce emissions and we see great opportunities for these types of improvements in the vibrant Indian market. We are delighted to have found Anand. Their experience and wisdom will help us work together to make India vehicles lighter and cleaner,” said Sanders – co-founder and director at Far-UK.

Mrs. Anjali Singh, executive chairperson of Anand Group, said “Anand Group is sensitive to the current environmental challenges and is committed towards making the world a greener place to live. It is also our continuous endeavour to partner with the best in the world and bring in cutting edge technology to cater to the Indian OEMs. The collaboration with FAR is in line with the key ethos of the Anand Group vision, to create value sustainably through the pursuit of excellence. I am confident that this association will successfully evolve to create innovative Light Weighting solutions for the Indian automotive industry”

Sunil Kaul, Group President, Innovation & Technology and Excellence in Manufacturing, reiterated that “there is an urgent need within the automotive industry to improve the overall efficiency of the vehicle. Anand Group’s approach is to look at all aspects in a vehicle that can impact fuel efficiency/reduce emissions through lightweight and transmission losses. The Group intends to develop innovative solutions that ultimately help in reducing the carbon footprint.”