Automotive

CRP continues to support Energica as MotoE World Cup rescheduled

Italian electric motorbike manufacturer Energica will once again be providing its Ego Corsa motorcycles and technical support for the FIM Enel MotoE World Cup competition in 2020. Originally set to begin on 26 March 2020, the event organizers have been forced to reschedule the race calendar in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Replacement dates are yet to be determined.

As with the inaugural MotoE World Cup that took place last year, Italian 3D printing materials manufacturer CRP Technology has been acting as Energica’s technology partners since planning for the 2020 races began a few months back.

VP and CTO CRP Technology, Eng. Franco Cevolini, commented, “As Energica’s technological and financial incubator, CRP Technology have been supporting the development of Energica Ego Corsa for the 2019 competition. We are still working alongside Energica to reach a new season as superb as the past one.”

Test ride of the Energica Ego Corsa. Photo via CRP Technology
Test ride of the Energica Ego Corsa. Photo via CRP Technology

CRP Group and Energica

A subsidiary of the CRP Group, Energica was founded by the company in 2010 with the aim of creating high-performance sustainable motorcycles. As such, both CRP Technology and Energica have a longstanding partnership; Energica manufactures 100% electric motorbikes which are partly 3D printed using CRP Technology’s proprietary material Windform.

For example, Energica made use of CRP materials to 3D print parts for its street-legal electric motorcycle, the Energica Ego, as well as other models including its Bolid-E motorcycle developed with Samsung Electronics. 

Recently, CRP revealed a case study where its Windform FR2 material was used by Energica to manufacture cell pouch frames for its battery pack prototypes. The material in question was only just released in early 2020, joining its Windform TOP-LINE family of composite materials for additive manufacturing. Designed for SLS 3D printers, the Windform FR2 is a flame-retardant polyamide-based glass fiber reinforced material, intended for applications in aerospace, automotive and consumer goods. It follows the release of the Windform FR1 in 2019, which is instead a carbon fiber reinforced polyamide-based material. 

3D printed pouch cell casings manufactured by CRP Technology using selective laser sintering technology and Windform® FR2 for testing. Photo via CRP.
3D printed pouch cell casings manufactured by CRP Technology using selective laser sintering technology and Windform® FR2 for testing. Photo via CRP.

The MotoE World Cup and the Ego Corsa

Energica is the single manufacturer and vehicle provider for the MotoE, which provides the firm an exclusive testing ground for its technological solutions still in development. It also allows the firm to test its vehicles leveraging professional racing drivers. This added benefit has provided a number of advantages for the company’s R&D, both for the racing and production sides. 

The Energica Ego Corsa, the racing vehicle used for the MotoE, also uses CRP’s Windform composite 3D printer materials as well. They were used heavily in the vehicle’s development stages, and also feature in end-use components of the motorcycle.

“The Ego Corsa is the state-of-the-art electric racing motorcycle developed by Energica,” adds Eng. Cevolini. “Ego Corsa shares common ground with the road-going Ego, which was created and engineered through the support of CRP Technology’s expertise. Our innovative and avant-garde solutions in the field of Additive Manufacturing technology, especially Selective Laser Sintering process with our Windform 3D printing materials, have made Energica a unique model throughout the world, allowed Energica to be chosen by Dorna for the new era of electric motorcycle racing.”

The first edition of the MotoE began in July 2019, with CRP acting as Energica’s technological partner for the event. The 2019 MotoE World Cup initially suffered a setback in March last year, when all eighteen bikes taking part in the event were destroyed by a fire in Jerez – the city in Spain where the bikes were stored. However, with help from CRP, Energica was able to rebuild the Ego Corsa motorcycles in the space of two months. Although facing another setback this year due to the coronavirus crisis, the event organizers are working on reprogramming the 2020 MotoE World Cup, with Energica still acting as the vehicle provider for the competition. CRP has been helping Energica prepare for the 2020 MotoE World Cup since the end of the 2019 championship.

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Featured image shows test ride of the Energica Ego Corsa. Photo via CRP Technology