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Minneapolis-based Stratasys Inc has announced that it is creating a fuel-efficient and environment-friendly vehicle named Urbee, which will be on display at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas from November 2 to 5.
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The maker of additive manufacturing machines for prototyping and producing plastic parts said it is partnering with Winnipeg engineering group Kor Ecologic to build the first-ever prototype car that will have its entire body 3D printed with an additive process.
Stratasys said all the various external components of the car including its glass panels have been created using Dimension 3D Printers and Fortus 3D Production Systems at its digital manufacturing service “RedEye on Demand”.
“Other hybrids on the road today were developed by applying ‘green’ standards to traditional vehicle formats. Urbee was designed with environmentally sustainable principles dictating every step of its design,” said Jim Kor, president and chief technology officer, Kor Ecologic in a statement.
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With more and more automobile companies claiming to offer effective and sustainable solutions to reduce GHG emissions and thereby reduce the dependence on petroleum, the Urbee is likely to undergo close scrutiny and speculations. The various stages of the development of the car have already been chronicled by the Discovery Channel’s Daily Planet for future broadcast.
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“Urbee is the only practical car we’re aware of that can run solely on renewable energy. Our goal in designing it was to be as ‘green’ as possible throughout the design and manufacturing processes,” said Kor.
The electric/liquid fuel hybrid delivers over 200 miles per gallon on the highway with an impressive 100 miles a gallon in the city. Also, the car can be charged overnight from any standard home electrical outlet. Alternate charging options include renewable energy from a windmill or a solar-panel array small enough to fit atop a single-car garage.
For combined city and highway use, the Urbee gives about 150 miles per gallon, costing about 2 cents a mile, which is about 10 percent of the fuel consumed by a typical SUV.
