Liftgate arrangement having a carbon fiber reinforced sheet molding compound reinforcement

A liftgate arrangement comprising:

• an inner panel with an outer surface and an inner surface having a lower perimeter surface area extending across substantially the entire width of the inner panel;
• one or more carbon fiber sheet mold compound reinforcements connected to and extending across a portion of the outer surface of the inner panel, wherein said one or more carbon fiber sheet mold compound reinforcements has a channel extending between two openings on the one or more carbon fiber sheet mold compound reinforcements;
• and
• one or more mount surface areas formed on an exterior surface of the one or more carbon fiber sheet mold compound reinforcements.

A liftgate arrangement comprising:

• an inner panel with an outer surface and an inner surface;
• one or more carbon fiber sheet mold compound reinforcements connected to and extending across a portion of the outer surface of the inner panel, wherein said one or more carbon fiber sheet mold compound reinforcements has a channel extending between two openings on the one or more carbon fiber sheet mold compound reinforcements, wherein the one or more carbon fiber sheet mold compound reinforcements are formed of a material containing polymer and carbon fibers;
• one or more mount surface areas formed on an exterior surface of the one or more carbon fiber sheet mold compound reinforcements;
• and
• wherein each of the one or more carbon fiber sheet mold compound reinforcements has an inside surface that rests against an attachment surface of the inner panel and a channel portion of the inside surface is spaced apart from the attachment surface of the inner panel to form the channel.