Modena is the homeland of the Italian Motor Valley and the birthplace of il Commendatore Enzo Ferrari. So it is fitting that an Italian electric motorcycle has been developed in this Italian town. Using F1 technologies and 3D printing, CRP Group has built the first electric superbike called the Energica Ego.

Selective laser sintering technology and polyamide-based materials reinforced with carbon fibers, called Windform, have been used in the construction of the electric superbike  “proudly-made-in-Modena”.

The laser selectively fuses powdered material by scanning cross-sections, generated from a 3D digital file’s description of the part, on to the surface of a powder bed. After each cross-section is scanned, the powder bed is lowered by one indexed layer thickness, then a new layer of material is applied on top, and the process is repeated until the part is completed. Thanks to this technology it is possible to create fairings, headlight covers and motorcycle components apart from the mechanical and electrical parts.

Watch the video below to see the bike in action.

“3D printing and Windform materials can lead to the production of prototypes and functional parts, that once made, can be metallized and painted,” said CRP Group. “With free-form design, short fabrication time and the ability to build extremely complex geometry that cannot be easily tooled (or impossible to tool) a customized production is realized that goes beyond the aesthetic model.”

Windform materials allow for the creation of highly-functional and beautifully finished parts suitable for multiple applications. Then 3D printing is used for production manufacturing.

Excerpt from related story: Incredible Art with 3D Printed Windform Materials

Design lab Do The Mutation developed software called Collagene to create exquisite masks. Faces were scanned using a Kinect sensor, and then software generated customized masks for each person. Each mask was produced as a unique piece through 3D printing and Windform materials.

Energica Ego represents an application of 3D printing that puts together aesthetics, Italian design and high performances in a 100% electric vehicle.

Energica Ego is the first Italian electric motorcycle that competes on performance with traditional endothermal motorcycles that can reach 240km/h and can ride up to 150 km. The batteries charge in less than three hours with AC and a half an hour with DC.  Energica Ego is also equipped with a KERS braking system that allows it to recover useful energy for use by the motorcycle like F1 cars. Several patents have been registered for this project which is unique in its class.

Energica Ego will be available for purchase in 2015 with ABS and it will be manufactured with traditional productive technologies. The 3D printed parts made of Windform, such as the fairing will be built with the suitable technologies of mass production.  All metal parts such as the engine frame, the forks and the battery pack will be built with casted aluminum.

Learn more at www.energicasuperbike.com