Understanding Carbon Fiber Fundamentals in Detail

Carbon Fiber Fundamentals: Material Concept, Automotive Applications & Leading Suppliers

APR 25,2025,By Leozhang

Introduction
What Is Carbon Fiber
Automotive Applications
Leading Carbon Fiber Manufacturers
Conclusion

1. Introduction

Carbon fiber is a high-performance, lightweight material.

It has revolutionized many industries.

In this article, we focus on its core concept, vehicle-oriented uses, and top vendors.

2. What Is Carbon Fiber

Carbon fiber consists of very thin strands of carbon atoms.

These strands are typically derived from a polymer precursor such as PAN (polyacrylonitrile).

After heat treatment, they form a crystalline structure with exceptional tensile strength.

When woven into fabric or embedded in a resin, they produce carbon fiber composites.

3. Automotive Applications

Carbon fiber delivers a high strength-to-weight ratio.

This makes it ideal for modern vehicles.

Key applications include:

Body Panels

Hoods, doors, and roof sections
Reduce overall vehicle mass by 30–50%

Structural Components

Chassis beams and crash structures
Improve torsional stiffness

Interior Trim

Dashboards, door panels, seat frames
Offer a luxury appearance with minimal weight

Manufacturing Fixtures

Jigs and tooling for assembly lines
Increase precision and reduce cycle time

TPARTS also offers a carbon fiber series accessories for Tesla, all made from 100% Toray carbon fiber.

4. Leading Carbon Fiber Manufacturers

Toray is widely recognized as a top carbon fiber material manufacturer in the industry, holding the majority market share of carbon fiber materials.

Manufacturer	Headquarters	Specialty Products
Toray	Japan	PAN-based carbon fibers
SGL Carbon	Germany	Pitch-based high-modulus fibers
Hexcel	USA	Prepregs & structural composites
Teijin	Japan	Automotive grade fibers
Mitsubishi Rayon	Japan	Premium aerospace fibers