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לחומרים מרוכבים תכונות מצוינות כגון חוזק גבוה, מודולוס גבוה, נוקשות גבוהה, עמידות בפני בלאי, צפיפות נמוכה, עמידות כימית וזחילה נמוכה, ההופכים אותם למתאימים מאוד לחלקי רכב, מבני מטוסים וחלקים מבניים אחרים המשמשים בתחבורה.
על פי קצב הצמיחה של שוק התחבורה העולמי (33.2 מיליארד דולר) מדצמבר 2020 ועד דצמבר 2025, צפוי קצב הצמיחה של שוק החומרים המרוכבים להיות 33.2 מיליארד דולר.
תהליך יציקת העברת השרף הוא בעל נתח השוק הגדול ביותר בעולם. יציקת העברת שרף (RTM) היא תהליך העברת שרף בעזרת ואקום, אשר יתרונותיו הם הגדלת היחס בין סיבים לשרף, מאפייני חוזק ומשקל מצוינים. הוא משמש בעיקר ליצירת רכיבים עם שטח פנים גדול, צורה מורכבת וגימור חלק. תהליך זה משמש לייצור מבני מטוסים ורכב, כגון רכיבי הנעה ורכיבים חיצוניים.
מבחינת יישומים ספציפיים, יישומים מבניים פנים צפויים לשלוט בשוק. בתקופת התחזית יישום המבנה הפנימי צפוי להיות החלק הגדול ביותר בשוק המורכב התחבורתי. ענף הכבישים הוא אחד הצרכנים העיקריים של יישומי פנים מרוכבים, שמונע בעיקר על ידי שימוש בחומרים מרוכבים ברכבים. בשל חוזקו המצוין ומשקלו הנמוך, הביקוש למרכיבים תרמופלסטיים לרכיבי פנים מטוסים הולך וגדל, המניע את שוק היישומים הפנימיים. בנוסף, תחום הרכבות הוא גם אחד התורמים העיקריים לגידול הביקוש לחומרים מרוכבים בתחום היישומים הפנימי.
לפי הערכות, סיבי פחמן הם הסיבים המחזקים הצומחים ביותר מבחינת סוגים ספציפיים של סיבי חיזוק. השימוש הגובר במרכיבי סיבי פחמן מיוחס לצמיחה המהירה ביותר בתחום הרכב. מרוכבים מסיבי פחמן נמצאים בשימוש נרחב בתעשיות תעופה וחלל, ביטחון לאומי ורכב בגלל תכונותיהם העדיפות יותר ממרכיבי סיבי זכוכית. סיבי פחמן חזקים פי שניים מסיבי זכוכית ו 30% קלים יותר. ביישומי רכב, היישום שלו החל במירוצי מכוניות, מכיוון שהוא לא רק מפחית ממשקל הרכב, אלא גם מבטיח את בטיחות הנהג עם חוזקו הגבוה ונוקשותו הגבוהה של מסגרת הקליפה הקשה. מכיוון שיש לו גם ביצועים נגד התנגשות, ניתן להשתמש בסיבי פחמן בכל החלקים המבניים של מכוניות F1 כיום.
מבחינת אופן התחבורה, צפוי כי תחבורה בכביש תהיה סוג החומרים המרוכבים הצומח ביותר. בשל היתרונות של תכנון גמיש, עמידות בפני קורוזיה, גמישות, עלות תחזוקה נמוכה וחיי שירות ארוכים, ניתן להשתמש ברכיבים ביישומי רכב שונים, כולל מכוניות, רכבים צבאיים, אוטובוסים, רכבים מסחריים ומכוניות מירוץ. מרוכבים מסיבי זכוכית משמשים בדרך כלל לרכיבים פנימיים וחיצוניים ביישומי רכב. הביצועים הקלים והעוצמה הגבוהה של המרכיב מפחיתים את משקל וצריכת הדלק של הרכב ומאפשרים ליצרני יצרנים מקומיים לעמוד בתקנות הסביבה המחמירות.
מבחינת סוגי המטריצות, תרמו-פלסטיק צפוי להפוך לשדה השרף הצומח ביותר. בהשוואה לשרף מרפא, היתרון העיקרי של שרף תרמופלסטי כחומר מטריצה הוא שניתן לחדש את המורכב וקל למחזר את המורכב. סוגים שונים של שרפים תרמופלסטיים יכולים לשמש כחומרי מטריצה בעיצוב מרוכבים. ניתן לייצר צורות חומר מורכבות בקלות באמצעות חומרים מרוכבים תרמופלסטיים. מכיוון שניתן לאחסן אותם בטמפרטורת החדר, ניתן להשתמש בהם גם לייצור מבנים גדולים.
