Bentley to use new carbon fiber composite wheels to reduce car weight

High-pressure resin transfer molding (HP-RTM) shipped from Carbon Valley in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy has been used to make carbon fiber composite wheels for the 2021 Bentley Bentayga luxury SUV, which will cost about for $177,000
.

Bucci Composites is behind the bespoke 22-inch carbon fibre wheels for the renowned British automaker, the largest to date made from this composite material
.
In addition to the innovative design and higher performance, the material enables each wheel to be 6kg lighter than aluminium alloys
.

All the benefits of using ultra-light carbon fiber wheels are directly related to the reduction in wheel weight: lighter component design means less moment of inertia, which translates into greater acceleration, shorter braking distances and a better vehicle manipulation
.
In addition, less unsprung mass means improved grip between the tire and the road, ensuring good road holding characteristics
.

Another key benefit of Bucci composite hubs is the hub-to-wheel coupling system, which secures the hub to the hub in a conventional manner, eliminating the risk of torque loss from the hub bolts
.
This assembly system has all the advantages of a conventional wheel retention system, but with significantly less weight
.

Bucci Composites' investment in HP-RTM for this project will allow the company to continue developing new carbon fiber wheel models for the automotive industry
.