Individuals who chose to bike to their workplace each morning have to deal with the daily struggles of arriving sweaty, exhausted, and possibly even late. Electric motorcycles are an environmentally friendly solution, but they can be extremely large, heavy and inconvenient to store when compared to bicycles. Airbus’ subsidiary company, APWorks, has created the Light Rider, a 3D printed, lightweight, electric powered bike which can be used daily for city commutes.

The Light Rider offers the consumer all the benefits of a motorcycle while being fraction of the weight. With a powerful electric motor, the bike is able to travel at road speeds for long commutes, while not producing any emissions.

In order to optimize the bike and give it a clean look, APWorks started the project by using bionic algorithms when designing, ensuring maximum strength, while keeping its weight 30 percent less than previous electric bikes. Weighing in at a total of only 77 lbs., the Light Rider can be picked up and stored indoors or even carried upstairs if needed.

A 3D printed exoskeleton-like frame allows for more stress to be put on the bike during daily riding, while using minimal parts in the process. Printed in a material created by APWorks, calls Scalmalloy, the Light Rider Frame is a second-generation aluminum-magnesium-scandium alloy (AlMgS). This material is more durable than the normal aluminum-silicon powder 3D printing material, giving the Light Rider more strength and a longer life span than similar bikes. Also, this unique material enables the frame to be manufactured as a hollow part rather than solid, reducing the weight of the frame to just 13 lbs.

The eBike is powered by a small 6-kW motor which places 8 horsepower at the rider’s fingertips. With a top speed of 80 km/h (50 mph) this bike is ideal for daily driving within the city, however not quite fast enough for freeway use.

When creating unique products such as this eBike, the design stage is essential to guarantee that the concept not only looks good, but will work efficiently with little to know risk. Whether a concept or established design, Eclipse’s various design services ensures that the specifications and performance of your finished product meet all of your needs.

Source: Gizmag