Case Study: Structural Adhesives Increase Productivity for Electric Vehicle Assembly
Clean Motion relies on structural adhesives to provide strength and reduce weight in its Zbee electric vehicle.
The innovative Zbee three-wheeler is an ultra-light, energy-efficient electric vehicle designed by Clean Motion AB, located in Lerum, Sweden, with its manufacturing site in Trollhättan. The Zbee’s final design and build specifications included the use of fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) body panels in combination with two Scott Bader structural adhesives: Crestabond® M1-05 and Crestomer® Advantage 30. These two adhesives were selected because they provide a combination of lightweight adhesive joining, build quality and productivity.
The Zbee electric vehicle is light and compact, with dimensions of 240 cm long by 120 cm wide and 150 cm high. Its ultra-light curb weight of just 230 kg has been achieved by the Clean Motion design team’s rigorous adoption of their “Lean Engineering” development philosophy, which involves reinventing every part of the product through multifunctional design, simplification and a lightweight approach to all aspects from materials selection to methods of assembly.