Light is Right

With the passing of ever increasing CAFE regulations, the auto manufacturers are looking to make their cars lighter in an effort to reduce fuel consumption while maintaining or improving their current performance envelope.  The everyday consumer market will hear about high tensile steel and aluminum structures that are more rigid yet lighter than previous versions of the same car.  This is even being touted by vanilla, people carrying toasters like the Camry.  For us enthusiasts, lightness usually comes in the form of carbon fiber, the most exotic material made from one of the most basic elements.  Check out this video of a carbon fiber weave under, what I assume is, an electron microscope.

Cars with air conditioning should not have carbon fiber bits!

 

These carbon vents are pretty gaudy, aren't they? Why would we ever need vents made out of carbon fiber? If you really want to make your car lighter, might you consider completely removing air conditioning instead?