COBra - Composite Optimised Brakes

**COBra: Driving a Green Revolution with Low-Cost Composite Brakes**

The COBra (Composite Optimised Brakes) project is set to revolutionize the Electric Vehicle (EV) market by addressing critical challenges in environmental sustainability and vehicle performance through disruptive advanced materials innovation. Led by Carbon ThreeSixty (CTS), this feasibility study falls under the Structural Innovations theme of the National Materials Innovation Programme, focusing on lightweight, sustainable systems.

The project tackles the dual challenge posed by conventional braking systems:

* **Pollution**: Brake wear particles currently account for up to 55% of non-exhaust PM10 emissions in urban areas.
* **Inefficiency**: Heavy Grey Cast Iron (GCI) systems act as parasitic weight in EVs, compromising range and handling.

COBra's innovative approach uses emerging, low-cost Ceramic Matrix Composite (CMC) materials, leveraging CTS's expertise in advanced composite manufacturing processes like Resin Transfer Moulding (RTM). This technical solution aims to democratise high-performance ceramic brakes---a technology currently limited to high-end vehicles due to costs---by developing a product at up to a third of the price of existing ceramic disks.

The successful outcome of this project promises substantial benefits for urban transport and the UK economy:

* **Cleaner Air**: The composite ceramic disks are projected to achieve a massive reduction in harmful particulate emissions, cutting PM10 by over 81% and PM2.5 by 74%.
* **Extended Range**: Achieving a 50% weight reduction in the brake disks will reduce unsprung mass, which is crucial for vehicle handling and can extend EV range by an estimated 0.9km per journey for last-mile delivery vehicles.
* **Sustainability**: The advanced material is designed for significant life extension, aiming to last the entire lifecycle of the vehicle, reducing waste and improving resource efficiency.
* **Economic Growth**: By proving the...