Design and Build of a 40 Kg Vehicle Chassis

Light weight is a most valuable attribute for vehicle performance and fuel economy. The MT 900 supercar is now commercialized with a honeycomb composite chassis weighing only 40 Kg enabling a target vehicle weight of 900 Kg. Honeycomb structural technology was developed for Aerospace needs and has now proven its benefits for automotive applications. In addition to light weight, benefits include structural rigidity, thermal and noise insulation, rapid development time and minimal tooling costs. The flat composite panels are engineered for ease of shipping, inventory, and assembly. The technology has been proven on racetracks around the world and is now crash certified for US motor vehicle registration. This paper describes the honeycomb material technology and the design process to achieve a 40 Kg vehicle chassis.