Carbon fiber and biomaterials - The Biofore Concept Car

"KnowsAboutCars" (knowsaboutcars)
05/03/2014 at 12:18 • Filed to: None

The Biofore Concept car was unveiled at this years Geneva Motor Show. Seeing that almost nobody has written anything about it on Jalopnik or here I thought I'd write something about it despite the fact that I suck at writing.

In 2010 forest industry corporation UPM-Kymmene got an idea to research the use of their new wood based materials in cars. Together with Metropolia university of applied sciences they started to develop the Biofore Concept car.

The idea was to demonstrate and research the possible uses of the new biomaterials like UPM Formi and UPM Grada. UPM Formi is composite material made from polymer and pulp fiber suitable for injection molding. UPM Grada is plywood made from birch veneer.

The car is about the size of a new VW Golf and it uses 1.2 liter diesel engine out of a VW Polo TDI with custom ecu and automatic gearbox. Also some of the steering and front axle components come from the same Volkswagen. Biofore Concept Car only weights 1000 kg (2205 lbs) so the engine won't have to work too hard to get the car moving.

Chassis is mostly made from carbon fiber. Some parts, including the rear axle support are from steel. Shape of the car is inspired by pine cone and it has suicide doors and no b-pillars for easier access. Biomaterials are used in the body panels and interior. For example side skirts and front bumper are made from UPM Formi and UPM Grada is used in the interior panels and inner floor.

Image: UPM

Most of the technical specs are from a !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! article.

DISCUSSION (14)

JayHova > KnowsAboutCars
05/03/2014 at 12:35

Why are all these eco compact cars always looking so crappy?

Clemens2205 > JayHova
05/03/2014 at 12:39

Despite the (presumably) high quality materials i agree. This is one of the ugliest cars I've seen.

Matt Pipes > KnowsAboutCars
05/03/2014 at 12:41

Thanks for posting this, I kind of like the way it looks, and I like the way they incorporated the wood in the interior. The side windows look like they are not intended to go up or down... which is kind of a drag, but otherwise cool concept!

Formula4speed > JayHova
05/03/2014 at 12:44

in general, it has a lot to do with the dimensions being pre-associated with crappy-looking in our brains. Tall, stubby, narrow cabins with dumpy little wheels are good for economy and utility but bad for the sexy.

As for this car in particular; in my experience as an automotive engineer, this is pretty much what happens when you ask a bunch of engineers to do design work. We also are usually not so good at the sexy.

Pdexter > KnowsAboutCars
05/03/2014 at 12:52

The car is meh, if not ugly, but the material is interesting.

Company that I work for has been in the talks of using the same exact material (formi that is).

Jerk Dently > KnowsAboutCars
05/03/2014 at 12:53

I don't hate the way it looks, but I don't like it. If it were a bit more conventional looking I think I'd like the exterior more. I dig the interior.

rocor > KnowsAboutCars
05/03/2014 at 14:08

Henry Ford went the grow your vehicle route back in 1942 with the "Soya-bean Car".

Kinja'd!!!

Boss2452stolemylunchmoney > KnowsAboutCars
05/03/2014 at 15:26

As a matter of fact, most automakers already use natural fiber reinforced plastics on many vehicles and are continuously experimenting with new materials. There is one NFRP, that outperforms carbon fiber reinforced plastic in non structural applications (think fenders, door skins, hoods, and trunks.)

Boss2452stolemylunchmoney > Formula4speed
05/03/2014 at 15:28

Yes... We suck at sexy. Unless you think sexy is 5% less expensive tie rod... Then I can help you.