Scientists from the Institute for ‘Leichtbau und Kunstofftechnik’ (ILK) at the Dresden Technical University have conceptualized the prototype of a lightweight electric car in cooperation with CarboFibretec GmbH, Thyssen Krupp AG and other partners.
The research vehicle InEco runs entirely electrically, and is especially suitable for commuters and short-distance drivers. A special feature of the InEco is its steel-CFRP construction. Under the slogan ‘steel makes CFRP compliant’, the high malleability of steel is combined with its high energy absorption capacity, thereby producing extremely light and crash-proof component solutions. Thanks to the consistently lightweight design, the weight of the InEco including batteries could be reduced to less than 900 kilograms.
Furthermore, the electric car of the future is not only light and powerful, but also affordable. In addition to the low weight, considerable attention was paid to the possibility of an easy batch production of the components. This allows for cost savings in the CFK construction that are otherwise rarely achieved.