News - 2016052303 - This freaky electric motorbike was 3D printed with metal powder
The Light Rider is an electric motorbike that weighs just 77 pounds and has a frame like an alien skeleton. Its creator, Airbus subsidiary APWorks, crafted the bike with 3D printing -- but it's not plastic. The hollow frame is aircraft-grade aluminum (this is Airbus, after all) and it takes shape via thousands of thin metal layers produced in a bed of metal powder.
The frame itself weighs 13 pounds, roughly 30 percent less than many existing electric bikes, and its complex shape would be impossible to craft using traditional means such as welding or milling, the AP reports. The Light Rider gets 37 miles per charge.
Don't expect to pick up one of these babies at your local dealership -- Airbus is currently selling a (very) limited run of 50 Light Riders at a price of $56,095 each. Pre-orders are available now on the bike's website.
