In 2019, Thyssenkrupp Carbon Components gained European road approval by the German Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) for its braided carbon wheels, which are lightweight and create reduced rotating mass. The company has now reached a new milestone, having gained worldwide approval for road use of the wheels, making it the first and only carbon wheel manufacturer in the world whose wheels have successfully passed all international tests.
The majority of the development and production processes for the wheels are patented, and they have successfully completed all necessary examinations for the German National Type Approval (ABE) as well as the JWL and DOT E certifications.
The JWL standard is a set of requirements defined by the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and applies to all wheels on the Japanese market. Japanese sales have already started in cooperation with distributors.
For the North American aftermarket, Thyssenkrupp has complied with the requirements of the US Department of Transportation (DOT) and also successfully passed the tests for the DOT E certification and, with Bilstein of America, has a partner for the import and distribution of its carbon wheels.
Dr Jens Werner, CEO of Thyssenkrupp stated, “The worldwide road approval has been an important step for us and allows us to meet the strong international demand for our high-quality carbon wheels ‘Made in Germany’. With us being the first and only manufacturer in the world that has successfully homologated its carbon wheels to ABE, JWL and DOT E standards proves our point. The foundation is undoubtedly laid by our unique development and production processes, first and foremost the patented braiding technology.”
