Feb.2, 2015

NTU's new eco car - NV 8 with the student team, Photo: Nanyang Technological University

A team of students from the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) have built Singapore's first 3D-printed urban solar electric car, said the university on Monday (Feb 2).

The car, named NTU Venture 8, is an electric car mounted on a carbon fibre single shell chassis. It is made of 150 3D-printed components which have been glued together using epoxy adhesive. The 3D-printed cabin is made from lightweight plastic to minimize the total weight.

Since a year ago, 16 NTU students from the university's College of Engineering have been working on designing and building the 3D printed eco-car concept from scratch.

NTU's new eco cars - NV 8 (left) and NV 9

Undergraduate Ilmi Bin Abdul Wahab, group leader of 3D-printed NV8, said: "We decided to go with a 3D-printed cabin made from lightweight plastic, as we wanted to maximise the internal space and driver's comfort while still being able to keeping the weight to a minimum. Despite being an Urban Concept car, it is no slouch and can reach a top speed of 60km/h, while maintaining low energy consumption."

The NV8 uses unique honeycomb design for reducing the weight. Co-designer Ng Jun Wen explained: "For it to be lightweight, thin and yet strong, we integrated a honeycomb structure and a unique joint design to hold the parts together. When seen against the light, the structure has a translucent see-through effect, like a dragonfly wing."

Associate Professor in Engineering Design, Ng Heong Wah, provided close coaching and mentoring. "We are extremely proud to have designed and assembled a 3D-printed body shell for the electric car," he said. "A 3D-printed part reduces the weight (of the car)...you don't have so many pieces joined together and it is more efficient in the use of materials."

"The 3D printed car body was pushing existing technology to the limits and we are so pleased that it has paid off."



The 3D printed urban solar electric car will be making its debut at Shell Eco-marathon Asia 2015 which will take place in Manila, Philippines, from February 26 to March 1, 2015. The car will race in the Urban Concept category with the main design criteria of building the most aerodynamic and fuel-efficient vehicle possible. Students are asked to look at developing fuel-efficient solutions that could be applied to the cars of today. Unlike Prototype vehicles, all Urban Concept cars must meet a series of roadworthiness criteria found in modern passenger vehicles (such as having four wheels, a steering wheel, head and tail lights, a brake pedal, doors, etc.).

 

 

 

Posted in 3D Printing Applications

 

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Audrey Miller wrote at 2/3/2015 3:08:11 PM:

This is amazing, these kids are geniuses. They really make good use of solar power and create a masterpiece that they can be proud of. Well done. http://arizonaaccurate.com/

FBW wrote at 2/2/2015 10:44:00 AM:

Looks like the Renault Twizy



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