Urbee: will be on sale from 2014

The Urbee is the world’s only printed car. EcoLogic created Urbee basically as a two person city car that is also highway capable.  The new technology car was been invented by Jim Kor and his team of Kor Ecologic in Canada with the partnership with Stratasys, in Minneapolis (the company that 3-D printed car’s  body). They have been working on Urbee’s design since 1996 and they tossed out the current idea of cars and started with a blank slate. The intended market for Urbee mimics initial design briefs of ‘people cars’ of the past, like the Model T Ford, the original VW Beetle, the original Austin Mini, the Citroen 2CV, and the Fiat 500. All these simple cars were designed to be robust, frugal, and useful. According to Urbee creator Jim Kor, the 1 cylinder 8 hp, bioethanol-powered plastic Urbee hybrid could still hit 60 mph in 12 seconds, although the top speed would only be 70 mph. Urbee is powered by two electric motors driving the front wheels. Interestingly, the front wheels do not steer. Steering is accomplished with the single rear wheel. This provides for very small openings for the front wheels, which is the most aerodynamic method of mounting front wheels.

 Furthermore, the process of 3-D printing turned into 'digital manufacturing' would change the way they replace parts within machines. It has certainly changed my way of thinking about manufacturing. Environmentally this process holds promise because one only puts material where one needs it. It is an additive process, building the part essentially one molecule of material at a time, ultimately with no waste. The client would have an inventory of computer files on hand, stored somewhere in the world, and utilize the closest 3-D printing facility available to the machine that needs the repair part.

If Kor Ecologic can raise $1 million, the first small batch production run could come by 2014 at an estimated price of about $30,000 – $40,000.

(www.urbee.net)