Three-Wheeled EV Heads To Market
Arizona-based Elio Motors has been talking about building a market-ready three-wheeler for years, but it seems Canada’s Electra Meccanica might beat them to the punch with its vehicle named Solo. Last week Electra Meccanica introduced the Solo and announced 2017 deliveries of the vehicle — a single-seat, 992-lb three-wheeler with an 82-hp electric motor driving its rear wheel. The range of the Solo is roughly 100 miles, which is paltry next to 200+ mile cars like the Tesla Model 3 and Chevy Bolt.
It’s clear that the Solo is really designed as an urban commuter to supplement a family car and tackle the driver's basic everyday transportation needs. The lithium ion battery and AC synchronous motor combine for speeds of up to 80 mph and charges in three hours at a 220 V charging station or about six hours with 110 V.
Currently Electra Meccanica is taking fully refundable $15,100 deposits for the 2017 model year.
SO, WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Could the Solo help usher in an age of single-commuter vehicles? Tell us what you think by leaving your comments below.
This Desktop Waterjet Can Cut Through Anything
Waterjet cutting isn’t new, and it’s a critical tool manufacturers and hobbyists alike utilize often. The only downside is that traditional waterjet cutting machines are hefty both in size and cost. But a new take on this classic tool could be welcome news. A group of University of Pennsylvania graduates have invented what they’re calling the Wazer — a scaled-down (both in terms of size and cost) waterjet cutter.
The Wazer uses a combination of high-pressure water and sand-like abrasive particles to cut thorough any soft or hard material down to 1/16 of an inch in width. This smaller desktop waterjet cutter is priced at about $6K, marking a sharp difference in cost from the industrial-sized, $200K waterjet cutters currently on factory floors.
The Wazer has already exceeded its $100K goal six times over on Kickstarer, so demand from hobbyists, makers and those in the trade seems strong. And, if all goes well, Wazer says that finished units will be ready for shipping in August 2017.
SO, WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Is the Wazer something you could image using on your plant floor? Could this small waterjet cutter prove worthwhile in industrial settings?