Reinventing the wheel has paid off for the company that will be supplying high-tech carbon fiber wheels for the 2023 C8 Corvette Z06. Carbon Revolution, a company founded 15 years ago, is celebrating the production of its 50,000th automotive wheel, which is a rear wheel design for the new supercar’s Z07 Package.
The 21-inch by 13-inch wheel is the company’s largest, and also represents its first five-spoke design, reflecting a five-year collaboration with GM and Carbon Revolution.
Chevrolet stated that this Z07 Package carbon fiber wheel set, offered on both the coupe and convertible models, will reduce the weight of the Corvette Z06 by 41 pounds of unsprung mass, which contributes to a sharper, quicker steering feel.
“While this Corvette wheel represents a milestone for Carbon Revolution, we are exceptionally proud of all the OEM wheels we have produced to date for Ford, Ferrari, Renault, and General motors,” stated Carbon Revolution CEO Jake Dingle. “To have collaborated with GM to create the carbon fiber wheel for the new Z06 has been a great honor. The performance capabilities of the Corvette Z06, as well as the decision to create a five-spoke wheel design, meant that our engineering teams had to drive our world-leading carbon fiber wheel technology to new places for this project.”
Carbon Revolution engineers added a feature called a “ski jump,” which connects the front of the spoke laminate diagonally with the back of the spoke laminate. The technology improves the wheel’s performance while maintaining maximum weight savings and is the first time the team has included the technology in a production wheel.
The wheels will be available in a clear coat option that exposes the carbon fiber weave and a painted variant. Carbon Revolution’s Warun Ponds facility in Australia will manufacture the wheels before being sent to the Bowling Green Assembly in Kentucky where the C8 Corvette is exclusively built.
Image via Chevrolet
