Danish start-up ECOmove has developed a technology which it says makes it possible to manufacture a carbon-fiber chassis without using special equipment. The first unit has already been shipped to a company in Germany.
“The greatest challenge for most electrical car manufacturers is to increase the overall range. One solution is to decrease the overall weight of the car, hereby reducing the energy consumption. We have acquired extensive knowledge and competences in manufacturing lightweight-chassis for electrical cars, which can help reduce the total weight. We design, construct and manufacture lightweight-chassis in composite materials—as for example carbon-fiber—at our Vehicle Lab in Vitus Bering Innovation Park in Horsens—all without using expensive tooling and special equipment.” Mogens Løkke, CEO at ECOmove.
The delivered chassis is for a 356 Speedster replica, making it possible to install a battery capacity for a claimed range of more than 500 kilometers (311 miles), Løkke said. The chassis also improves the stability and strength of the car compared to the original chassis. ECOmove cooperated with VIA University College in terms of the initial 3D-scan and strength modeling of the chassis.
“Qstrung offers manufacturers and designers the possibility of working with composite materials like carbon-fibre right from the start offering more freedom in shaping, economy and in the time it takes to build the first vehicle models.” Mikkel Steen Pedersen, Development Manager at ECOmove.
According to Pedersen, the new method is suitable for both prototyping and volume production. The short production time combined with an attractive material-cost per unit provides interesting perspectives for larger vehicle manufacturers as well.
ECOmove was founded in 2009 with an ambition of developing and building a compact, lightweight electrical car for city environments: QBEAK. The company changed course in 2013 by fully focusing on external projects.
