share on BufferLike the MOTIV (displayed at the 43rd Tokyo Motor Show 2013), it employs the iStream process developed by Gordon Murray Design Limited to produce lightweight, high- rigidity vehicle structures that aim at extending the use of carbon fiber to sub-premium vehicles.
The design – inspired “by the artistic style of Elementarism” – has the goal of expressing a strong driver-machine relationship, close in feeling to the world of motorcycle riding.
Yamaha Sports Ride Concept – Main Dimensions
- Length: 3,900 mm
- Width: 1,720 mm
- Height: 1,170 mm
- Vehicle weight: 750 kg
The iStream Carbon platform
The ‘Sports Ride Concept’ is an in house Yamaha concept design based on an iStream® Carbon chassis developed at Gordon Murray Design in collaboration with the Yamaha team.
iStream® Carbon is claimed to be the first affordable high volume carbon fiber chassis structure, and is derived directly from Gordon Murray Design’s iStream Manufacturing System.
The new system replaces the glass content in iStream with carbon fibre which offers even more performance for lightweight and rigidity.
Unlike conventional carbon fiber chassis technology, iStream Carbon is a fully mechanized system with a cycle time of just 100 seconds. It utilizes two carbon skins sandwiching a honeycomb core, unlike many expensive handmade supercars which employ monolithic (single skin carbon panels).
Gordon Murray Design Limited has been developing iStream Carbon for the last 2 years with partners Toray Industries, Innovate UK and ELG, and the process is now fully industrialised.
iStream® and iStream® Carbon can cater with annual production volumes between 1,000 and 350,000 units per year at a cycle time of 100 seconds and can reduce capital investment by up to 80% reducing manufacturing energy by up to 60% whilst offering new levels of rigidity, corrosion resistance, safety, durability and low cost light weighting.
Gordon Murray commented: “Light weighting is the final frontier in the automotive industry fight to lower emissions. There have been great strides forward in engine design, electrical control systems, tyre design and transmission technology, but we are now experiencing a plateau in the advance of technology where the law of diminishing returns comes into play. A step change in vehicle weight to enable downsizing of powertrain and components is all we have left in the armoury. Light weighting is important for internal combustion engined cars, but even more important for hybrids and electric vehicles. iStream® and iStream® Carbon is that step change and is the world’s first affordable, high volume bonded composite structure which sets new standards of safety, rigidity and durability. iStream® delivers performance through lightweight. iStream® Carbon does not replace our existing iStream® manufacturing process, it sits alongside our standard system to open up more market segments for us. We are currently working on 7 vehicles using our original iStream® technology”.
(Source: Yamaha, Gordon Murray Design)
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