14 DAY TRIAL // Electric cars, or vehicles of any sort, and 3D printing are two big trends at the moment, so it's no surprise that someone would marry the two. CRP Group put together the Energica, an electric superbike manufactured using 3D printing techniques.
The Energica has the specs to be legitimately labeled a superbike. It can reach 240 km/h (150 mph) and travel 150 km (93 miles) on a single charge.
The range drops considerably if you actually plan on reaching the 240 km/h top speed very often. Thankfully, charging up only takes three hours over a conventional power socket and just half an hour with a special charger.
Everything, apart from the mechanical and electrical components on the prototype bikes, was built with 3D printing – selective laser sintering, to be precise – and a custom material dubbed Windform, created by the company behind the bike. Windform is a carbon-reinforced polyamide material.
The company is promoting the material for motorsport companies, which need strong, durable parts during the prototyping phase, so it makes sense to use it in the bike. However, the first production model of the Energica line, the Ego, will be built using standard manufacturing techniques.