If you’re into fast cars, sleek designs, or just love the idea of carbon fibre everything, this might sting a little: carbon fibre could soon be banned in Europe, after being labelled a potential “hazardous substance”.
Here’s what’s going on: the EU is working on an updated version of its End-of-Life Vehicles (ELV) Directive. It’s basically a rulebook that deals with how cars should be recycled when they’re no longer roadworthy — and it also sets limits on how much toxic material can be used when building new ones.
Now, they’re looking to officially add carbon fibre to the same “hazardous” list as things like lead, mercury, cadmium, and hexavalent chromium. These are all materials that carmakers can still use today (thanks to exemptions), but that could soon change. The goal? To phase them out entirely and push manufacturers toward safer, greener alternatives.
The problem with carbon fibre is that, although it’s super strong and lightweight — perfect for sports cars — it becomes a pain to deal with at the end of a car’s life. Shredding it releases tiny conductive particles that can mess with machines and irritate human skin. Not exactly environmentally friendly.
If this change goes through, it could hit the carbon fibre industry hard. Around 10–20% of all carbon fibre is used in cars, and a big chunk of it is made in Japan. Sports car brands would be some of the hardest hit — and this comes on top of existing challenges like U.S. import tariffs.
As for the UK? It’s unclear whether we’ll follow the EU’s lead. Before Brexit, the UK did stick to EU rules like the ELV Directive, so it’s possible. But with recent moves — like choosing not to follow the EU’s latest plug-in hybrid emissions testing standards — it’s hard to predict what direction the UK will take.
Bottom line: if you love carbon fibre spoilers, super-lightweight panels, or just the general vibe of high-performance design, keep an eye on this space. Big changes could be coming.
