3D printers are quickly evolving and developers are now not only looking to produce cheaper versions of the devices but they are also looking to take them to the next level by taking prints of items which have never been produced before. We have practically seen 3D printed back covers of Nokia phones, jewellery, guitar, small structures and much more. However, we have not come across a car that has been created using 3D printing. That is about to change as a 3D printed car that will be called Urbee 2 and is designed by engineer Jim Kor is looking to introduce a light weight, inexpensive, super efficient and easy to reproduce vehicle.
Urbee 2 is basically a hybrid car in which the majority of the plastic parts were printed through a 3D printer, except for the base chassis and its engine that are built from metal. Kor’s 3D printed car can transport two passengers at a time because it has two seats and three wheels. It means that Urbee 2 is a small and compact car that is not designed for families.
However, having 3D printed plastic parts does not mean at all that Urbee 2 is not as safe to drive as traditional cars because the team that is working along with Kor on this project are paying lot of attention to make the vehicle safe to drive. In fact the team is looking to make Urbee 2 as secure as a racing vehicle. Talking to Wired, Kor said that, “We’re calling it race car safety. We want the car to pass the tech inspection required at Le Mans.”
Therefore, potential buyers of Urbee 2 will be able to use it for long journeys as well as according to the estimate of the head engineer when the 3D printed car will be finished they will take it for a spin from San Francisco to New York and that too “with just 10 gallons of pure ethanol,” according to Mashable.
At this point in time it takes Kor and his team roughly three months to have the parts of Urbee 2 printed and assembled. Wired reports that the curb weight of Urbee 2 is just 1,200 pounds. Therefore, it is expected that due to its low weight the 3D printed car should be able to give excellent mileage with pure ethanol.
Source: Mashable
Photo: Dvice
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