HP Innovation Journal Issue 14: Spring 2020 | Page 58

UK-based EAV’s rickshaw-like electric bikes for cargo
delivery have a covered bike seat for the driver at the front
and an enclosed cargo space at the back. “They get from
point A to B very quickly and don’t need to worry about
parking, and they don’t have the repair and maintenance
costs of a traditional engine,” says Minasians.
While the rapid growth of the micromobility market
hasn’t been without its challenges, including problems
with city regulators and vandalism, as well as questions
about its true environmental impact, the total number of
overall micromobility trips in the US reached 84 million
in 2018, up from 35 million in 2017, according to the
National Association of City Transportation Officials.
“Our main target is to reduce the need for cars for short
distances,” says Pitkänen. “Research shows that 70% of the
daily journeys made in Finland are less than 10 kilometers
[six miles]. And when we look at cities and resorts, the
percentage of those short-distance journeys is even higher.”
Finland is setting an example in terms of reducing
pollution from cars: A recent survey suggested that nearly
20% of Finns plan to give up their cars over the next five
years, with 40% of car owners reporting they have already
reduced their car use and increased bicycle or public
transportation use. While in the US, the total number of
cars and the mileage traveled has continued to increase,
a survey of car owners from different age groups found
that 21% of people aged 18 to 34 would rather bike, walk,
or skate to work. Only 31% say they always expect to own
a car, in contrast to 52% of 45- to 64-year-olds.
SUSTAINABLE MANUFACTURING
WITH 3D PRINTING
Scouter Mobility’s focus on sustainability is rooted
in 3D printing, which makes a vehicle life cycle more
sustainable, from creating opportunities to use recycled
materials to experimenting with innovative design.
Working with Pekka Ketola, CEO of 3DStep, a 3D printing­–
based manufacturing services company, the company
developed its first micromobility product, the Scouter, a
two-seater electric quadricycle with a battery that lasts for
more than 15 miles and can be topped up by pedaling.
“We are trying to get car users to use their own body to
move by pedaling so that they can be zero-emission and
healthy,” says Pitkänen. “This is very important for us,
not only for protecting the planet, but also in order to do
something that avoids using pollutive energy sources.”
With a 550-pound weight limit, the Scouter is not just a
way of getting around, but it’s also suitable for transporting
goods while being able to make use of bike lanes, and is
accessible to anyone without a driver’s license.
The quadricycle’s frame is made of ore from SSAB, a
Sweden-based steel manufacturer, and then cut, bent,
and welded together in Finland. The HP Jet Fusion 4200
3D printer is used to create parts such as the steering
wheel and mud covers.
HP’s Jet Fusion printers melt powder particles to build
up a part layer by layer. They selectively use a fusing
agent that deploys thermal energy from infrared lamps
and a detailing agent for forming crisp edges and smooth
surfaces. The powder-based technology specifically
helps to reduce material waste. “HP printers are highly
efficient in terms of material: They are able to reuse 80%
of the powder,” says Caron. “And when we start thinking
about combining parts in using complex geometries that
achieve the same functions with less structure and lower
material consumption, that’s when 3D printing can really
help a great deal.”
A Finnish startup built the Scouter, a two-seater electric
quadricycle with a battery that lasts for more than 15 miles
and can be topped up by pedaling.
Courtesy of Scouter Mobility
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HP Innovation Journal Issue 14