#Composites
Teijin’s carbon fiber and resin used in world’s first laptop-sized automated people mover
The WALKCAR®, which is small enough to be carried in a bag, measures just 21.5 cm by 34.6 cm, roughly the size of a 13-inch laptop computer, and weighs only 2.9 kg. The WALKCAR® can travel about 7 km at a maximum speed of 16 km/h on a single charge. Operated by simply shifting one’s center of gravity, the APM requires neither a handle nor controller, and stops automatically as soon as the operator steps off.
The sturdy but lightweight WALKCAR® is made with Teijin’s thermoplastic carbon fiber reinforced laminates Tenax® TPCL, thermoplastic woven fabric Tenax® TPWF and polycarbonate alloy resin Panlite®.
Compared to steel, Tenax® offers 10 times the strength at just one quarter of the weight. Panlite® polycarbonate resin boasts some 200 times more impact resistance than fiberglass but only half of the weight. The impressive characteristics of these Teijin materials is why the amazing WALKCAR® is able to combine low weight and high durability.
The WALKCAR® went on sale in Japan in June and overseas sales will begin from August 11. Orders can be placed via the cocoa motors' website:
https://en.cocoamotors.com/
Teijin develops high-performance materials and offers them in solutions targeting diverse fields under a long-term vision of becoming a company that supports the society of the future.
