Gordon Murray Group (GMG), along with project partners Constellium, Carbon ThreeSixty, and Brunel University London, is leading Project M-LightEn, an initiative to develop vehicle chassis structures that are 25% lighter and reduce carbon intensity by 50%. The project is supported by Innovate UK and the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC).
“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,” said Jean-Phillipe Launberg, strategy and business director, GMG. “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.”
GMG will lead the project in its mission to research, design, build, and validate a series of digital and physical monocoque prototypes. The target result is the validation of several new solutions paving the way for the development and industrialization of innovative monocoque structures for a portfolio of new vehicles. With a goal of achieving even greater performance through further weight reduction, the process could enable future Gordon Murray Automotive (GMA) vehicles to achieve the lowest lifecycle carbon footprint of any supercar.
Constellium will supply ultra-high-strength aluminum solutions made with 80% recycled U.K. consumer scrap. These advanced materials will form the foundation of the unibody structure, enhancing the structural integrity of the unibody while reducing weight and carbon emissions. Brunel University London will collaborate with Constellium on advanced material research and testing, ensuring that every component meets the highest standards for performance and sustainability.
“Through Project M-LightEn, Constellium reaffirms its commitment to pushing the boundaries of lightweighting technologies,” stated Martin Jarrett, director Technology and Innovation at Constellium’s AS&I business unit. “This initiative allows us to develop cutting-edge aluminum solutions that redefine vehicle performance while combining innovation with sustainability and circularity.”
Targeting a reduction in vehicle lifecycle CO2 by a third or more, the consortium will use AI to optimize designs, while also developing new materials and advanced manufacturing processes. Constellium and Brunel aim to provide STEP-enhanced ultra-high-strength extrusions made from 80% recycled UK consumer scrap aluminium within the monocoque structure. While production of lightweight carbon fibre composite components by Carbon ThreeSixty will achieve near-zero-waste levels in manufacturing and low weight through the highly precise ‘tailored-fibre-placement’ production process.
“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,” said Geoff Scamans, professor of Metallurgy at Brunel University of London. “The M-LightEn project will use the highest-performing aluminum extrusion alloys formulated from recycled end-of-life aluminum using novel thermo-mechanical processing techniques developed in this five-year program.”
The venture is projected to create as many as 160 new jobs across GMG and project partners Carbon ThreeSixty, Constellium and Brunel, as well as creating £150 million of associated U.K. economic activity.
The first phase of Project M-LightEn is underway, focusing on the exploration of new materials and joining techniques. By late 2027, the consortium’s innovations are expected to be available for low-volume commercial applications, with broader adoption in mainstream manufacturing to follow.