Carbon Revolution, the manufacturer of lightweight carbon fibre wheels, headquartered in Geelong, Australia, is expected to become publicly listed in the USA following an agreement with Twin Ridge Capital Acquisition which will unlock critical investment capital for expansion.

Founded in 2007, Carbon Revolution’s carbon fibre wheels are already validated through contracts with Ford, Ferrari, GM and Renault.

When new automotive technologies are introduced, penetration typically begins at the luxury or performance end of the market before transitioning to a point of full adoption as a mass market product, the company explains. Carbon Revolution has initially served the performance and premium end of the market, with cars that include Ford’s GT and Shelby Mustang GT350R and GT500, Ferrari’s 488 Pista, F8 Tributo, SF90 Stradale, 812 Competizione and 296 GTB, and Renault’s Megane RS Trophy R, and more recently GM’s Chevrolet Corvette Z06. Ford has recently announced an additional programme with its 2024 Mustang Dark Horse.

EV demand

The company is now well positioned to capture demand in new mobility with the global transition to electric vehicles (EVs). Its carbon fibre wheels, which can be up to half the weight of aluminium wheels, are expected to help increase range – a critical barrier to EV uptake. Lighter wheels help offset large battery weight, enabling regulatory compliance with key weight class limits. Carbon Revolution’s wheels also provide better performance and handling than aluminium wheels, as well as reduced noise vibration and harshness (NVH), while increasing options for aerodynamics, wheel sizing and styling.

Strong revenue growth is anticipated for the company, from an estimated $28.7 million in 2022 to $90.1 million in 2024.

“We see an enormous addressable market for our disruptive efficiency technology, with adoption already underway with major car manufacturers,” said CEO Jake Dingle. “Our technology provides an effective next-generation solution to the challenges of transitioning the global automotive industry to new mobility. We have a strong track record working with leading OEMs and our partnership with Twin Ridge is a significant milestone.”

Robotic production

In the past few weeks, commissioning has commenced at Carbon Revolution’s mega-line at its Waurn Ponds factory in Geelong, running trial wheels from layup through to demoulding.

In the line’s process, specially designed Kuka robots pick up the moulded wheel in its tool and separate it from the face and rim tools, ensuring human operators do not need to handle hot, heavy tooling.

The stainless-steel tools weigh up to 439kg and are around 120°C when they are brought in for demoulding. After they are separated from the wheel, the tools are sent up an elevator and back to the face layup area, to prepare to make another wheel.

The moulded wheel moves through subsequent factory processes, including Diamond Weave application, machining, CT scan and painting.

From early 2023, production wheels will begin rolling down the mega-line for the Corvette Z06 and other programmes. Carbon fibre wheels for the upcoming 2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse will also be produced on the line at a later date.

www.carbonrev.com