A new consortium project has been launched to develop new ultra-lightweight, environmentally friendly vehicle structures. Led by the Gordon Murray Group, the initiative aims to create a stronger, lighter monocoque architecture that is 50% less carbon intensive within just three years.
Named ‘Project M-LightEn’ (Monocoque architecture – Lightweight and Low Energy), the project is backed by Innovate UK and the Advanced Propulsion Centre. It is expected to generate up to 160 new jobs across Gordon Murray Group and partners Carbon ThreeSixty, Constellium and Brunel University London.
As the project leader, Gordon Murray Group will oversee research, design, construction and validation of both digital and physical monocoque prototypes. The goal is to develop and validate new solutions that will drive the industrialization of advanced monocoque structures for future vehicles. By further reducing weight and enhancing performance, the company believes this innovation could enable Gordon Murray Automotive to achieve the lowest lifecycle carbon footprint of any supercar.
GMG’s strategy and business director, Jean-Phillipe Launberg, said, “The potential for this project is exciting to Gordon Murray Automotive as the company constantly strives to utilize the very latest materials, technologies and processes to produce its driver-focused supercars.
“Alongside Gordon Murray Automotive’s niche supercar application, Project M-LightEn will enable decarbonization across the wider automotive industry by shortening and de-risking the path to market for innovative new materials and processes.”
Aiming to cut vehicle lifecycle CO₂ emissions by at least a third, the consortium will leverage AI-driven design optimization and develop new materials and advanced manufacturing processes.
Constellium and Brunel University will contribute STEP-enhanced ultra-high-strength extrusions made from 80% recycled UK consumer scrap aluminum for the monocoque structure. Carbon ThreeSixty will manufacture lightweight carbon fiber composite components using a highly precise ‘tailored-fiber-placement’ process, which minimizes weight and achieves near-zero waste in production.
Prof. Geoff Scamans, professor of Metallurgy at Brunel University of London, said, “This project represents an excellent opportunity to exploit the high-strength extrusion aluminum alloy technology developed in the EPSRC strain-enhanced precipitation in aluminum (STEP Al) program, funded as an EPSRC Prosperity Partnership between Constellium and Brunel. The M-LightEn project will use the highest-performing aluminum extrusion alloys formulated from recycled end-of-life aluminum using novel thermomechanical processing techniques developed in this five-year program.”
Phase one of the program is already in progress, focusing on new materials and advanced joining techniques. GMG expects the M-LightEn technologies to be ready for low-volume commercial use by late 2027 with broader mainstream applications to follow.