Made with advanced innovative tailored fiber placement (TFP) and high-pressure resin infusion technology, the E2 wheel combines performance, durability, efficiency and innovation with the beauty of carbon fiber to deliver a first-of-a-kind aftermarket wheel.
Weight: 17 pounds
Rating: Vehicles up to 6,800 lbs (rated by axle)
Size: Available for order now in 19x8.5”
The lighter the wheel, the lower the rotational inertia – resulting in less force required to move the wheel forward. As a premium carbon fiber composite wheel, the E2 saves a significant amount of weight compared to aluminum and steel wheels. Testing has demonstrated that a 10lb weight saving per wheel translates into faster lap times of as much as 5.3%.
Simply put, lighter objects require less work to slow and stop. The E2 carbon fiber wheel is up to 45% lighter than equivalent steel or aluminum wheels. Testing has demonstrated that the E2 wheel can reduce braking and coasting distances from 60-1 mile per hour by as much as 3.6%.
Reducing unsprung weight minimizes the suspension’s effort to keep your wheels firmly on the road surface. Each E2 carbon fiber wheel removes up to 10 lbs of unsprung weight from the system, allowing the suspension to perform that much better. The resulting improvement in tire contact leads to enhanced steering response and sharper handling. Whether on the road, the track, or both, E2 carbon fiber wheels will take your driving experience to an entirely new level.
Years of prototype testing have led to the development of the most technologically advanced wheel ever produced – the E2. Through highly advanced modeling with finite element analysis, ESE’s composite engineering team is able to predict how wheels will react in a plethora of real-world scenarios. Armed with that extensive data, ESE’s wheels are then put through their paces in both the lab and field, with the results being validated for strength, safety and performance. Read the details of the Proving Grounds testing.
The radial impact test assesses the stability of the wheel against severe damage or failure when driving through potholes or over large obstacles. Understanding that streets and highways aren’t always pristine, the E2 wheel has been rigorously tested to endure typical road hazards and proven to outperform comparable steel and aluminum wheels. See the Radial Fatigue Report.
The curb impact test is a crucial test that evaluates the effects of repeated impact against a static surface, simulating a vehicle hitting a curb or other fixed object at a predetermined rate of speed. Even at low speed, curb and wheel contact can generate large impact forces. The E2 carbon fiber wheels are designed and thoroughly tested to resist failure in damaging situations such as curb impacts. See the Curb Impact Report.
The E2 is fully tested and pending certification under SAE J3204, the new composite wheel recommended practice. ESE is working closely with the SAE to help define the standards and set the benchmarks for composite wheels. The E2 carbon fiber wheels from ESE actually exceed the minimum SAE recommendations. Similar to metal wheels, the SAE’s recommendations for composite wheels address durability through various fatigue and impact tests. The SAE also added new requirements to account for environmental effects that are unique to composites.
When it comes to today’s electric vehicles, range is THE all-important statistic. Since heavier objects require more energy to both start and stop, every pound of weight saved leads directly to better range and efficiency. At up to a 45% weight reduction per wheel, the E2 carbon fiber wheel will help you go further every day.
The shift toward environmental concerns has led to a transformation in automotive design and engineering that is efficient, while remaining well-performing, attractive and relevant. No material embodies all of these characteristics more than carbon fiber. Carbon fiber also has very high corrosion resistance when compared with aluminum and steel, so carbon fiber wheels will outlast their counterparts.
E2 carbon fiber wheels are engineered using the newest tailored fiber placement (TFP) technology. Carbon fiber layup was traditionally a very time-consuming, manual process involving cutting and hand-forming carbon fiber sheets onto resin molds. This resulted in excessive waste and the manual labor can create bottlenecks in production.
Alternately, TFP works by using machines to arrange and stitch carbon fibers into exact position for optimal structural performance. This reduces layup time by as much as 50% and cuts material waste by 80%. It also allows ESE to optimize the design to fit the curvature and spokes of the carbon fiber wheels through precise fiber placement and orientation. This increases the strength and durability of E2 carbon fiber wheels, allowing them to manage loads and stresses more effectively.
Resin Infusion
The E2 also uses a proprietary compression resin transfer molding (RTM) process and epoxy resin system to create an infused, one-cure wheel with increased rim strength and fatigue resistance. ESE uses only the highest quality, fastest curing resins at industry leading Tg (glass transition) temperatures of up to 212°C to deliver you a product that is unequaled. ESE’s fiber-to-resin content of 60% and void content of just 2% are among the best in the industry. Add to that the fact that ESE is able to fully infuse a wheel in under 2 minutes, it’s evident that innovation is at the heart of everything we do.