Carbon Fiber Axle Market Size (2024 – 2030)

The Global Carbon Fiber Axle Market was estimated to be worth USD 3.5 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach a value of USD 4.31 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 3.02% during the forecast period 2024-2030.

Compared to traditional materials like steel or aluminum, carbon fiber offers several benefits, including high stiffness, high tensile strength, low weight, high chemical resistance, high temperature tolerance, and low thermal expansion. Numerous products, including off-road vehicles, mountain bikes, road cycles, and racing karts, utilize carbon fiber axles. By lowering the unsprung mass and rotational inertia of these vehicles, they can enhance their performance, handling, and efficiency. Axles made of carbon fiber are typically created by joining carbon fiber tubes or rods to metal hubs or inserts, which serve as the points of attachment for the wheels and other parts. To increase their toughness and stability, some carbon fiber axles additionally contain a stiffener or a casing made of aluminum or another material. Due to their high cost and unique production requirements, carbon fiber axles are not particularly prevalent on the market. But among enthusiasts and professionals looking for the best performance and innovation, they are growing in popularity. Axles made of carbon fiber are also being studied for prospective use in the aerospace and defense sectors, where lightweight and high strength are crucial elements.

Key Market Insights:

The Spicer Electrified eS9000r e-Axle for class 4 and class 5 commercial vehicles was first produced by Dana in North America. Dana is the sole manufacturer of all system components, including an axle, motor, gear, and invertor.

The partnership between GKN Automotive and Delta Electronics Inc. on the collaborative development, which is anticipated to enable the quick acceleration of next-generation integrated 3-in-1 eDrive systems with power classes ranging from 80kW to 155kW, was announced. Inverters from Delta Electronics Inc. are planned to be combined with the gearbox and motor systems from GKN Automotive as part of the cooperative development of sophisticated eDrive technology.

Toyota Motor Corporation and JTEKT Corporation announced their intention to transfer their ownership of Yutaka Seimitsu Kogyo, Ltd. (Yutaka Seimitsu)'s drive component shares to JTEKT Corporation in 2020. This is anticipated to significantly increase the driveline operations of JTEKT Corp. and Toyota Corp.'s competitiveness.

Global Carbon Fiber Axle Market Drivers:

The demand for fiber axles may be fueled by the increase in vehicle production:

People's lifestyles in both developed and developing nations have changed as a result of the growth in disposable income. Since they now have access to high-quality goods, their need has grown. This has raised the demand for automobiles, including high-end ones. The car industry has increased its manufacturing of the vehicle as a result of the rise in demand. The market for automotive axles is being driven by the rise in vehicle production and the growing need for automotive axles.

The market growth for fiber axles may be boosted by technological progress:

The development of new technologies has produced more sophisticated cars as well. These sophisticated technologies have also aided in the creation of modern automobiles' more sophisticated axles and sophisticated automotive technology. The market for automotive axles is seeing increased demand as a result of the rising popularity of electric and hybrid automobiles. The development of technologies in commercial vehicles, such as heavy-duty trucks, and in axles to handle the weight of the trucks and the trucks' motion better, allowing them to handle heavy-duty vehicles more effectively as well.

Global Carbon Fiber Axle Market Challenges:

The market expansion for fiber axles may be hampered by fluctuating raw material prices:

The market is being constrained by the price volatility of the raw materials used to make car axles. The supply of automobile axles would fluctuate due to price changes, and eventually, the supply would be unable to keep up with demand. The price of the vehicle axle will thus increase, leading to a decrease in axle purchases. End-user industries would also purchase fewer brand-new, high-tech automotive axles, which would decrease the market's demand for automotive axles. Therefore, the primary barrier to the market for power tools is the fluctuation in raw material prices.

Global Carbon Fiber Axle Market Opportunities:

The expanding market growth may be boosted by the rising demand for AWD vehicles:

The market for fiber axles is being driven by the rising demand for electric and hybrid cars. The market for automotive axles will also be driven over the projection period by the rising demand for AWD cars. Four-wheel drive, six-wheel drive, and eight-wheel drive are the most popular AWD configurations. Two axles are present in four-wheel drive, and either axle can be powered with both wheels on it. The same is true for six-wheel drive, which has three axles with two wheels on each axle, and eight-wheel drive, which has four axles with two wheels on each axle, both of which may be motorized. The automotive axle market would be driven by all of these variables over the projection period.

CARBON FIBER AXLE  MARKET REPORT COVERAGE:

Global Carbon Fiber Axle Market Segmentation

Global Carbon Fiber Axle Market Segmentation: By Type

• Drive
• Dead
• Lift

With a market share of nearly 65.0%, the drive axle type segment dominated the industry. Due to their enhanced capacity to have a higher grip on various surfaces, all-wheel, and front-wheel drive axles are becoming more and more popular among manufacturers and consumers. Additionally, the increasing popularity of passenger and commercial cars in North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific will increase demand for various drive-type axles.

During the projected period, the lift axle type is anticipated to have the greatest CAGR of 1.8%. For long-haul trucks used for logistics and towing a high cargo, lift axles are thought to be optimal. The lift axle increases fuel economy, lowers rolling resistance, and increases the lifespan of brake shoes and stages. Additionally, the lift axle uniformly distributes the weight of the cargo. These lift axle-related variables are anticipated to increase demand for heavy-duty freight trucks. The specified weight borne by each axle is restricted, hence the appropriate liftable axles shall automatically be dropped to achieve a proper load distribution, according to the European Economic Community (EEC).

Global Carbon Fiber Axle Market Segmentation: By Application

• Front
• Rear

With a market share of over 50%, the front application axle segment will dominate the industry. Due to the less complicated construction of mid-range and budget sector cars, the front axle is often placed in passenger vehicles. Furthermore, it is anticipated that the market for front axles will expand due to the rising popularity of all-wheel-drive cars with four, six, and eight wheels.

Over the predicted period, the rear axle category likewise saw the greatest CAGR of 2.0%. The need for rear axles in Europe and the Asia Pacific is being driven by the region's growing market for commercial, heavy-duty, and passenger vehicles. The manufacturer of the rear axle is concentrating on delivering improved cost benefits, safety, and comfort. Additionally, the expansion of roadway logistics between nations is favoring the need for the rear axle sector.

Global Carbon Fiber Axle Market Segmentation: By Vehicle Type

• Passenger Cars
• Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV)
• Heavy Commercial Vehicle (HCV)

The market was dominated by the passenger automobile category, which brought in more than 50% of total sales. The demand for passenger automobiles is being driven by factors including rising urbanization, rising population, and rising disposable income on a global scale. Market expansion is being impacted by the boom in passenger automobile production in nations like Indonesia, India, China, and South Africa. Furthermore, the market is anticipated to increase quickly due to the use of front-wheel, rear-wheel, and all-wheel drive in several premium and hybrid passenger vehicle segments.

The category for heavy commercial vehicles is anticipated to experience a CAGR of 2.0% throughout the forecast period. The expanding logistics sector, particularly in the North American and European areas, is credited for the HCV segment's expansion. Additionally, lift axles are frequently used in big commercial vehicles, which is another element encouraging market expansion. Numerous big commercial vehicles have six, eight, or more wheels, which offers opportunities for market expansion.

Global Carbon Fiber Axle Market Segmentation: By Region

• North America
• Europe
• Asia-Pacific
• South America
• Middle East and Africa

With a 50.2% sales share, Asia Pacific dominated the market for fiber axles. Major automobile markets like China, India, and Japan are located in the Asia Pacific region, and as a result, demand for passenger and commercial cars is rising, which is fueling the expansion of the automotive axles market. Technology-advanced axles are being put in cars to enhance their performance, propelling the market's expansion. These axles are lightweight, have more traction, are fuel-efficient, and employ various materials, such as carbon fiber.

The market is anticipated to see the highest CAGR of 1.9% in North America during the projected period. The rising demand for luxury and commercial cars in the area might be attributed to the expansion of the axle market in North America.

COVID-19 Impact on Global Carbon Fiber Axle Market:

Due to the severe quarantine restrictions put in place by the federal government to stop the spread of the virus, COVID-19 has hurt companies all over the world. The three industries that were impacted the most were hospitality, aviation, and automobiles. Travel restrictions, a disruption in the manufacture and manufacturing of automotive components, and global supply chain bottlenecks all contributed to a dramatic fall in demand for the automobile sector. Significantly affecting the car sector as a result. The demand for cars directly affects the production and demand for axles. However, when the lockdowns were gradually released in 2021, there was an increase in demand for cars, which was matched by a disturbed raw material supply chain. However, the automobile industry began to show indications of improvement, which led to a rise in demand for the axles used in powertrains.

Global Carbon Fiber Axle Market Recent developments:

The increased strength and lighter weight of carbon fiber allow for a wide range of applications in the automotive sector. Compared to other composite materials like metal matrix and ceramic matrix composites, carbon fibers are more often employed in the construction of powertrains and structural components. The largest markets for structural and powertrain composites are in APAC and Europe. The expansion of carbon fiber in the automotive composites industry in the structural and powertrain application sector may be driven by the development of hybrid powertrains as a result of governmental and environmental restrictions like the Kyoto Protocol and the Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency (CAFÉ).

Key Players:

1. American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.
2. Dana Incorporated
3. Daimler AG
4. GNA Group
5. Meritor Inc.
6. ZF Friedrichshafen AG
7. Melrose Industries PLC
8. Talbros Engineering Limited
9. HYUNDAI WIA
10. CARDONE Industries

• In February 2020: By safety standards, Gestamp has created a lightweight chassis that will likely be used starting in 2021 in India by Skoda and Volkswagen. Both German OEM car types are anticipated to receive their subframe and front control arms from Gestamp.

• In December-2019: Ram 2500 Heavy Duty, Ram 3500 Heavy Duty, Ram 3500 Chassis Cab, Ram 4500 Chassis Cab, and Ram 5500 Chassis Cab trucks may now have front and rear axles as well as driveshafts from Axle Manufacturing (AAM), which recently announced the extension of the driveline market for RAM heavy-duty trucks.