3 ms·

> At some €50,000 ($56,000) each, it is not just the bike that is exotic but also the price. And the buyer must have an "exotic" brain Who would pay 160% the

> At some €50,000 ($56,000) each, it is not just the bike that is exotic but also the price. And the buyer must have an "exotic" brain Who would pay 160% the price of a Tesla 3 for this "aerospace-motorcycle" which is actually a lousy electric bike..

morganvachon 10y ago
This is a prototype, a first of its kind. Of course it's going to be insanely expensive in such a limited run. It's also (hopefully) going to be refined and improved in testing, and the future generations will be cheaper and more efficient. I also get the feeling they are limiting the top speed not due to technical limitations, but for safety reasons since it's an unproven frame. Once they work out the weak spots, they will likely increase the top speed and range, and simultaneously bring the price down to a realistic level (assuming consumer interest).
- paulmd 10y ago
  3D printing is not currently a technology that gets significantly cheaper with mass production. The assembly process would get cheaper with volume, but I suspect a lot of the cost is in that huge metallic frame component they printed. The usual trick is to 3D print large components folded up and unfold them afterwards - I don't think that would be very feasible for a bike frame that needs to be stiff, but you never know.
fennecfoxen 10y ago
> Who would pay 160% the price of a Tesla 3 for this "aerospace-motorcycle" which is actually a lousy electric bike.. Someone who already has a couple of Teslas and wants to try something a little less enclosed.
deleted 10y ago
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rjsw 10y ago
It is a technology demonstrator, it just gives a potential customer for their 3d printing services a ballpark figure for the cost. Airbus is also a participant in a new standard for data exchange for additive manufacturing so they probably want to publicise what they can do.

morganvachon 10y ago

This is a prototype, a first of its kind. Of course it's going to be insanely expensive in such a limited run. It's also (hopefully) going to be refined and improved in testing, and the future generations will be cheaper and more efficient. I also get the feeling they are limiting the top speed not due to technical limitations, but for safety reasons since it's an unproven frame. Once they work out the weak spots, they will likely increase the top speed and range, and simultaneously bring the price down to a realistic level (assuming consumer interest).

paulmd 10y ago
3D printing is not currently a technology that gets significantly cheaper with mass production. The assembly process would get cheaper with volume, but I suspect a lot of the cost is in that huge metallic frame component they printed. The usual trick is to 3D print large components folded up and unfold them afterwards - I don't think that would be very feasible for a bike frame that needs to be stiff, but you never know.

fennecfoxen 10y ago

> Who would pay 160% the price of a Tesla 3 for this "aerospace-motorcycle" which is actually a lousy electric bike.. Someone who already has a couple of Teslas and wants to try something a little less enclosed.

deleted 10y ago

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rjsw 10y ago

It is a technology demonstrator, it just gives a potential customer for their 3d printing services a ballpark figure for the cost. Airbus is also a participant in a new standard for data exchange for additive manufacturing so they probably want to publicise what they can do.