Project M-LightEn to cut chassis weights by 25%
Gordon Murray Group (GMG) has announced a new consortium project, Project M-LightEn, to create a new generation of chassis that is 25% lighter and 50% greener.
Supported by Innovate UK and the Advanced Propulsion Centre, Project M-LightEn will leverage AI design to create greener structures featuring 80% recycled ultra-high strength aluminium, near-zero waste composites and innovative manufacturing techniques.
The project will create 160 jobs across the Gordon Murray Group, and partners Carbon ThreeSixty, Constellium, and Brunel University of London.
GMG’s strategy and business director, Jean-Phillipe Launberg, said: “The potential for this project is exciting to Gordon Murray Automotive as the company constantly strives to utilise the very latest materials, technologies, and processes to produce its driver-focused supercars.
“Alongside Gordon Murray Automotive’s niche supercar application, Project M-LightEn will enable decarbonisation across the wider automotive industry by shortening and de-risking the path to market for innovative new materials and processes.”
Prof Geoff Scamans, Professor of Metallurgy at Brunel University of London, added: “This project represents an excellent opportunity to exploit the high-strength extrusion aluminium alloy technology developed in the EPSRC strain-enhanced precipitation in aluminium (STEP Al) programme, funded as an EPSRC Prosperity Partnership between Constellium and Brunel.
“The M-LightEn project will use the highest-performing aluminium extrusion alloys formulated from recycled end-of-life aluminium using novel thermomechanical processing techniques developed in this five-year programme.”
