The carbon hype in the automotive industry, which reached a peak in 2013 with BMW's i3 electric vehicle with a fully carbon body, has not led to more carbon cars. Despite EVs and stricter CO2 targets, carbon fiber parts still struggle to meet industrial and economical requirements. However, new manufacturing processes, chemistries, and vehicle designs are preparing the ground for a rebound of carbon composites. China is investing heavily in R&D and manufacturing capacities for automotive carbon composites, while innovative players in Europe are preparing to ride the next "carbon wave". The hype did not lead to more carbon cars because originally, heavy battery systems of EVs were expected to require carbon to lower weight and extend range, but recent BEVs from Tesla, Jaguar, Audi, and others have not followed this trend.
