Green Lite Motors, a clean technology company developing new transportation alternatives for commuters, is using Autodesk Product Design Suite from Autodesk, to more efficiently design a three-wheeled hybrid vehicle capable of traveling 100 miles on a single gallon of gas, as well as achieving highway-ready speeds of 85 miles per hour and a cruising range of 250 miles.
Although classified as a motorcycle, the vehicle is fully enclosed like a car, giving commuters a safer, more comfortable and environmentally friendly way to get to work. The vehicle can carry two passengers using a hybrid gas engine and electric motor, which supports long-range freeway cruising, as well as enhanced fuel efficiency in stop-and-go traffic. For safety, driver and passenger are protected by a steel roll cage, four-point safety harnesses, seat backs and front airbags. The vehicle's comfort features also include heat, air conditioning and a sound system.
The Autodesk Clean Tech Partner Program - which provides software for emerging clean tech companies in North America, Europe and Japan - enabled Green Lite Motors to use Digital Prototyping with Autodesk Product Design Suite. Autodesk Inventor software, included in Product Design Suite, was used to create digital prototypes of the third and fourth generations of the vehicle.
Digital Prototyping Accelerates Vehicle Development
"The Autodesk Product Design Suite has helped Green Lite Motors build the machine virtually to present an exceptionally strong vision of both the mechanical and aesthetic designs of our vehicle," said Tim Miller, president and CEO at Green Lite Motors. "In leveraging the capabilities of Digital Prototyping, within a few weeks we were able to collaborate with a shared Inventor model to create a design capable of being manufactured."
Green Lite Motors also leverages its digital prototype from Inventor with Autodesk Showcase software, another product included in Product Design Suite, to create compelling animations and renderings to visually communicate the mechanical and aesthetic designs of its vehicle - helping the company more effectively share its vision of greener transportation with potential investors and partners.
"Green Lite Motors is developing a unique hybrid vehicle to minimize driving's environmental impact, and Digital Prototyping is helping them do it more quickly and with less waste," said Robert "Buzz" Kross, senior vice president, Manufacturing Industry Group at Autodesk. "From concept to manufacture, and marketing to maintenance, Autodesk software helps bring clean technology products to market sooner."