Future molded fiber or re-enforced plastics parts will move in the automobile industries, specially for lighter e-vehicles, during the current decade. The first million units or so may be more costly but in the longer run, it will be competitive with heavier steel parts.

This is one more challenge and major change associated with vehicles electrification. Electrification of all ancillaries is moving ahead.

@HarveyD,
I would find your frequent predictions more credible and comforting if you would cite some fact or reason the well-known obstacles are much more likely to be overcome this next decade than last decade.

The issues w/carbon fiber in autos too numerous to mention. Illustrative is Boeings new 787 plane (current status chaos or disaster depending on the source). They chose to make the center wing box out of aluminum "old school". This is the most critical stuctural member of an aircraft. Then structural spars in the wing box, made from composite, were incorporated as a weight-saving measure. Later, these spars had to be reinforced w/aluminum-this was one of the early issues with the plane publicized in 2008.
See: http://www.designnews.com/article/8571-Boeing_Stiffens_787_Wing_Box_Spars_More_Schedule_Delays_Possible.php

We shouldn't forget the extensive experience with the use of carbon fibre in racing cars, so a lot of the problems will have been tackled, although of course the cost limitations for production vehicles are a lot tighter.

I have mixed feelings about carbon composites, since their recyclability is problematic. You win some, you lose some.

"Carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRPs) have an almost infinite service lifetime when protected from the sun, and, unlike steel alloys, have no endurance limit when exposed to cyclic loading. When it is time to decommission CFRPs, they cannot be melted down in air like many metals. When free of vinyl (PVC or polyvinyl chloride) and other halogenated polymers, CFRPs can be thermally decomposed via thermal depolymerization in an oxygen-free environment. This can be accomplished in a refinery in a one-step process. Capture and reuse of the carbon and monomers is then possible. CFRPs can also be milled or shredded at low temperature to reclaim the carbon fiber, however this process shortens the fibers dramatically. Just as with downcycled paper, the shortened fibers cause the recycled material to be weaker than the original material. There are still many industrial applications that do not need the strength of full-length carbon fiber reinforcement. For example, chopped reclaimed carbon fiber can be used in consumer electronics, such as laptops. It provides excellent reinforcement of the polymers used even if it lacks the strength-to-weight ratio of an aerospace component."

@mahonj:
There was nothing illuminating about the BBC stitch-up. If you operate outside of the design brief of a car or anything else, do not be surprised if it does not perform well.
I am not sure what they do not understand about 'city run-about', but I look forward to their next test, using a two seater sportscar to transport furniture.

Regarding the BBC's stupid article on the mini, of course it was going to take that long if you start with a low range vehicle that takes hours to recharge.

To show just how biased this 'test' was, a Tesla owner drove from London to Edinburgh in one day to show what can be done with a reasonable EV. ( http://www.teslamotors.com/about/press/releases/tesla-enthusiast-drives-edinburgh-emissionfree-dispels-bbc-ev-bias ). When level 3 (60 kW) chargers are available everywhere, you'll be able to top up 150 miles range in just 30 minutes.

Back to the topic of carbon fibre though, my main concern would be the shrugs and bodges performed by all the backstreet mechanics trying to make repairs.

ai_vin's reference has a point. There will still be MANY oil uses even if EV's do all light transportation.

Really, we basically let the Saudis nationalize our in-country oil discoveries and drilling since 1950. We've known they will totally gut us since the 1973 oil embargo. Then, they and their Koran Constitution sent 18 agents to test drive jets on 9/11/01.

Whether by "finders keepers", creating alternative technology supplies, or reducing demand - the US government should have focused on and settled the OPEC oil security threat decades ago.

@riven:
I suspect you may be onto something in your comments on fibre homogenity, at least in reference to having sufficient consistency for use in stressed components, and the car companies seem to be wary of it.
However, the material is certainly successfully extruded, and finds many industrial applications:
http://www.basaltfm.com/eng/fiber/technology.html

And here is some info on potential use in cars - it is already used, for instance, in tripods for cameras:
http://www.basfiber.com/src/automotive.pdf