EU Plans to Ban Carbon Fibre in Cars by 2029 – Report

The European Union is planning to ban carbon fibre from cars by 2029, classifying it as a hazardous material.

When it comes to environmental protection policies, the Europeans are often ahead of the curve. Not content with the implementation of the strongest emission standards, the European Union (EU) is now looking to ban one key material that it has deemed to be hazardous and unsafe—carbon fibre.

The EU, via the European Parliament, has drafted an amendment to add carbon fibre to the list of hazardous materials from 2029 onwards. This ban is part of the larger End of Life Vehicles (ELV) Directive that regulates dismantling and recycling vehicles in Europe and aims to make them more environmentally friendly.

With this ban, carbon fibre could potentially be put in the same category as other hazardous materials like lead, cadmium, mercury, and chromium—all of which are still used in both the automotive and aviation sectors. This could also mark the first time anywhere in the world that carbon fibre has been categorised as a harmful substance.

According to CarScoops, the reason for this ban is that when carbon fibre, which is bound by resin, is discarded, its filaments may become airborne and cause effects to both living things and machines. These filaments may cause short circuits in machinery and, more importantly, cause pain to humans and animals if they contact the skin and mucosal membranes.

Since the late 1900s, carbon fibre has become a staple in both the automotive and aviation industries due to its nature of being stronger than steel and yet lighter than aluminium. While it is much pricier than both steel and aluminium, and its construction is far more complicated than both, carbon fibre is still extensively used in both sectors, as its advantages often outweigh the costs.

As of 2024, the global carbon fibre market is worth $5.48 billion (RM24.18 billion), with automobiles accounting for 10% to 20% of all applications, according to Nikkei Asia’s report. That number is expected to increase further this year, as more automakers are looking to use this lightweight material to lower the weight of their electrified vehicles.

Should the EU proceed with this ban, Nikkei Asia also reports that Japanese carbon fibre manufacturers like Mitsubishi Chemicals, Toray Industries, and Teijin stand to lose the most, as these three companies make up 54% of the world’s carbon fibre market. Besides these companies, sportscar makers like McLaren, Lamborghini, and Ferrari might also suffer from this ban, as most of their high-performance models are often imbued with carbon fibre, and some even feature a full carbon fibre monocoque chassis.