HGV CAB Structure Strategy
Hydrogen Vehicle · 6-Solution Decision Matrix
Leading hydrogen HGV manufacturer - tooling investment, piece cost, mass, and safety benchmarked across six manufacturing approaches from prototype to 4,000 units per year
Solutions Evaluated
6 options
Investment Range
£0.85m–£10.6m
Piece Cost Range
£5K–£70K
Best Mass
191 kg
Ramp Target (2029)
4,034 units
Engagement Context
Why this analysis was needed
A hydrogen HGV manufacturer scaling from prototype builds to full series production needed a structured evaluation of CAB structure manufacturing options - balancing tooling investment, unit piece cost, vehicle mass, and safety certification readiness across a 6-year ramp.
- Select the optimal CAB structure solution for series production from 2026
- Understand total investment commitment vs piece cost at volume
- Quantify mass impact of composite vs steel cab construction
- Identify which solutions carry safety certification risk before commitment
Volume Ramp - Prototype to Series
Production targets by calendar year
Decision Matrix - 5 Solutions Compared
Investment · Piece Cost · Mass · Safety Status
AP Solution
Quoted
Box section tubes + hammer-formed panels (interim material)
Tooling
£0.85m
Piece Cost
£70K
CAB Mass
322 kg
Safety
✓ Known
Only fully quoted option - lowest tooling investment
Current SOP Solution
Estimate
Box section tubes + pressed panels in correct material
Tooling
£4.04m
Piece Cost
£8K
CAB Mass
322 kg
Safety
✓ Known
Only SOP-ready solution with fully known safety status
Hybrid Solution
Estimate
Mixed material CAB - box section with carbon in place of pressings
Tooling
£2.8m
Piece Cost
£7K
CAB Mass
250 kg
Safety
✗ Unknown
Good mass reduction at mid-range investment; safety TBD
Recycled Carbon Solution
Estimate
Carbon tooling, hand layup & vacuum; tooling walk available for volume
Tooling
£3.2m
Piece Cost
£5K
CAB Mass
191 kg
Safety
✗ Unknown
Best piece cost at scale; same mass as SMC at 40% lower tooling
SMC Solution
Initial Costing
Matched pair tooling, pressed carbon fibre SMC panels
Tooling
£10.6m
Piece Cost
£6K
CAB Mass
191 kg
Safety
~ Partial
Maximum mass reduction; highest investment risk
Investment vs Mass - Trade-off Summary
Cost of lightweighting across five solutions
| Solution | Tooling | Piece Cost | Mass (kg) | Safety | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AP Solution | £0.85m | £70K | 322 | ✓ Known | Quoted |
| Current SOP Solution | £4.04m | £8K | 322 | ✓ Known | Estimate |
| Hybrid Solution | £2.8m | £7K | 250 | ✗ Unknown | Estimate |
| Recycled Carbon SolutionRecommended | £3.2m | £5K | 191 | ✗ Unknown | Estimate |
| SMC Solution | £10.6m | £6K | 191 | ~ Partial | Initial Costing |
Lowest tooling risk
AP Solution - £0.85m quoted
Best mass at lowest cost
Recycled Carbon - 191 kg / £3.2m
Only full-safety + SOP
Current SOP Solution
Solution Timeline - 2024 to 2029+
When each manufacturing approach enters production
What Emithran Delivered
Strategic should-cost and sourcing intelligence
Solutions Benchmarked
Full decision matrix covering tooling investment, piece cost, CAB mass, and safety certification status for every candidate.
Investment Range Mapped
From £0.85m quoted (AP) to £10.6m initial costing (SMC) - enabling the client to set a realistic budget envelope.
Mass Saving Quantified
Steel-to-composite reduction from 322 kg to 191 kg - directly translating to hydrogen range improvement per vehicle.
Volume Ramp Modelled
Proto (11 units) through to 4,034 units - each solution mapped to the year it becomes commercially viable.
For Enquiry
Evaluating manufacturing strategies for a new vehicle programme?
Emithran builds decision-ready should-cost models across steel, aluminium, and composite structures - from prototype quotation through to series production investment planning.
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