A collaborative proposal that involves supermarkets, 3D printing services and motorcycle shops, to create a recycled electric tricycle.
The electric vehicles They greatly reduce pollution, but their manufacture remains problematic, as they use plastics and other materials that pollute during the creation process.
There are studies who predict that in 2040 until 1.3 billion tons of plastic they will end up in the sea.
The Austrian Study EOOS proposes a collaborative project: ZUV (Zero Emission Utility Vehicle), the electric cargo tricycle made with a 3D printer:
It is a cargo vehicle that can transport up to 300 Kilos, including two passengers.
The whole chassis is created with 70 kilos of recycled plastic from supermarkets. This plastic is turned into 3D printer thread, which prints the tricycle chassis.
You can reach a speed of 25.5 km / h, which is the maximum allowed for this type of vehicle in Europe. The built-in battery under the seat offers an autonomy of 50 kilometers.
It measures 62 x 190 x 55 cm and has a weight of 100 Kilograms. Its high load capacity makes it an ideal vehicle for last mile haulers, or to take a child to school, for example.
The idea of creating an electric vehicle for charging with recycled plastic is very interesting, but it is even more so the collaborative proposal of the EOOS study.
The idea is that different entities collaborate to manufacture the vehicle. In each city, supermarkets would be responsible for providing the plastic for recycling.
A manager would collect the plastic and take it to the recycling company to obtain the printer thread. Printing services would be in charge of printing the chassis with industrial 3D printers:
Finally, motorcycle workshops in the area would be in charge of selling kits with wheels, handlebars and engine.
Different local companies would collaborate to create cheap and affordable recycled electric vehicles, generating profits and jobs in neighborhood businesses, while recycling plastics from supermarkets.
The ZUV electric tricycle will be exhibited in the Vienna Biennale starting next October 3.