AUTOMOTIVE CARBON CERAMIC BRAKES MARKET ANALYSIS

The high manufacturing cost of carbon ceramic brakes is one of the major factors restraining the growth of the global automotive carbon ceramic brakes market. Carbon ceramic brakes are significantly more expensive to produce compared to conventional cast iron or steel brakes due to the complex manufacturing process and the use of expensive raw materials like carbon fibers and silicon carbide.

Manufacturing carbon ceramic discs involves blending silicon carbide powder with polymer binders and then injecting it under high pressure into a carbon fiber blank preform made using carbonization of pan-based fibers. This is followed by several heating and curing cycles to infuse the silicon carbide into the carbon fiber structure and then high-temperature treatment to convert the components into their final near-net shape. This complex process needs specialized facilities, equipment and requires more manufacturing steps compared to conventional brakes. It is also difficult to produce carbon ceramic brake discs in large volumes, further adding to the per-unit manufacturing cost.

Market Opportunities: Development of low-cost carbon ceramic brake manufacturing processes

The development of low-cost carbon ceramic brake manufacturing processes can unlock tremendous opportunities in the global automotive carbon ceramic brakes market. Carbon ceramic brakes offer several advantages over traditional cast iron brakes such as better performance, reduced weight, and improved braking power & durability. However, the high manufacturing costs have kept them out of reach for mainstream automakers and average car buyers. By reducing the production expenses through innovations, carbon ceramic brakes could become a viable option for a wider range of vehicles.

Making the manufacturing methods more efficient and cost-effective would allow automakers to install carbon ceramic brakes even in popular, high-volume models rather than just supercars and luxury vehicles. This would exponentially expand the addressable market size. Automakers may be able to offer them as an attractive premium feature on performance vehicle trims. As production scales up, the costs are likely to dip further, boosting the affordability and accessibility of these advanced brakes. More drivers may opt for carbon ceramic brakes for better performance, fuel-efficiency and safety on high-performance vehicles.