Bizarre car showcases lightweight materials and construction

Topia Corp. has been showing off their lightweight electric car at the booth of Marubeni Information Systems Co Ltd at the 19th Design Engineering & Manufacturing Solutions Expo (DMS). Ok, maybe "car" is a little strong. This little one seater looks to have much more in common with that enclosed mobility scooter from Australia, the Rainrider. In any case, don't look for the "HUVO" to be having its way with streets or sidewalks near you any time soon. Its purpose seems to be to showcase the ability of its creators to design and build prototypes quickly using the lightest of materials and the geekiest of technologies and, at that, we think it succeeds where others fail.

Consider that this ovoid wonder weighs only 150kg (330 lbs) despite its high-tensile steel plate frame. According to Topia president and CEO, Hideki Sasaki, "If a vehicle of the same size as HUVO is made with existing technologies, it would weigh about 300kg (660 lbs)". They accomplish this feat by using aluminum alloys, carbon fiber reinforced plastic, and ABS resin. The windshield is polycarbonate instead of glass. The actual building techniques are also impressive. The company designed and built its own press molds and utilized equipment ranging from lasers to a rapid prototyping system. The only thing lacking in this concept is the concept of "sexy".

[Source: Tech-On via Engadget]