Urbee: Green Car Made with 3D Printer

Jim Kor, of Kor Ecologic Inc, a design company in Winnepeg, Manitoba, has a vision: to create a fuel efficient car that will be environmentally responsible from its construction through its years of operation. Unlike the cars produced by major automotive companies, Kor Ecologic's car, called the Urbee, is made to last for 30 years before it will break down. 

This is not a concept unknown to the big car companies. It is just that the major companies build obsolescence into their designs so that you will need to buy a new car every few years. In other words, poor workmanship is good for business. If a car lasts for 30 years, how will the auto industry make a profit? If a car can get 100 miles per gallon, how will the oil companies make a profit?

Years ago talking about these ideas made a person seem like a radical. Today the evidence is clear: the banks and major corporations display outrageous greed while the average person is expected to foot the bill. As an added slap in the face, this state of affairs comes at the same time those ordinary people have their homes foreclosed and jobs lost.

We now have an environment more conducive to recognizing and admitting the truth. Because the big companies are not willing to take on the problems of the day and find solutions that work for ordinary folk, the smaller guys are stepping in to do the job.

The Urbee, a fuel efficient, durable, cool-looking car is the result of that type of innovation.

Now, to be honest, I live in a mountainous rural area with lots of dirt roads. I somehow doubt the Urbee would make it through some of the driving conditions I face.

I would jump at the chance of driving a vehicle with such outstanding qualities as the Urbee. But the Urbee seems like a car that would be best suited to the city or a place where you only need to drive on paved roads.

Maybe some of these problems could be overcome. For instance, maybe the Urbee could be used just for the driving I would do to get to town and back, avoiding the problematic side roads and staying on the pavement. I could probably map out routes to avoid dangerous scenarios.

Unfortunately, this may require me to own two cars, something I have tried to avoid. But if the cost of the car were low enough, maybe that would be the most economic decision anyway. I will have to wait until the price drops enough to make that part of the equation work.

If you look at the website of Kor Ecologic, Inc., you can't help but admire the vision that these guys have followed in order to create their 3D printer car. According to their vision statement, they posted these principles on their wall all through the development process for their Urbee car.

Their vision statement really merits reading through, but some of the principles on it include making a car that is fuel efficient, uses local materials, is safe to drive, and is appealing to look at. They wanted to make a car that is affordable, too, perhaps using recycled materials.

Never once on their statement did they focus on making a profit. Not that there's anything wrong with wanting to be compensated for one's work -- it's just that their purpose in working on this project was to find solutions that would benefit society, not just line their pockets.

Isn't that a novel idea?

Urbee.net
Urbee developers' website

Stratasys

More info about the Urbee's origins