origami-inspired STILRIDE bends sheets of steel to form swan-like electric motorcycle

STILRIDE speeds away in steel fashion

Glistening in steel, the electric motorcycle STILRIDE folds the malleable material like origami and forms the shape of a graceful swan gliding on lakes. designboom has reported the folding techniques that the vehicle uses, a style that mirrors the art of paper folding. The Swedish start-up sharing the same name as the vehicle says that rather than welding the steel, its design team bends it like paper. Since there are fewer parts infused into the origami electric motorcycle, STILRIDE is dubbed easier to recycle.

The present vehicle emerges from its 2020 predecessor ‘Sport Utility Scooter (1)’ with cleaner and more refined aesthetics. Each origami-designed motorcycle in the first launch is individually crafted and made to order at STILRIDE’s Stockholm workshop, set for a 2024 delivery. The first series of bikes will be called the ‘Limited Founders Edition’ where the electric motorcycles are numbered and possess black fenders and black details.

images courtesy of STILRIDE

Lightweight chassis for steel electric motorcycle

The road-legal origami electric motorcycle STILRIDE runs on a permanently installed battery that gives the vehicle a top speed of 100 km/h and a range of around 120 km. Alongside the updated look, the vehicle relishes several key design and technology updates, optimized to cater to the driving experience of the rider and further finetune the motorcycle’s design. STILRIDE’s ultra-lightweight chassis, made from recycled Swedish steel, is tweaked to specifically fit the industrial origami of the electric motorcycle.

The streamlined design of the cushioned saddle evokes the grace of a swan with its pointed look, an allusion to the waterfowl’s feathered tail. The STILRIDE 1’s braking system is co-developed with ISR, a world-leading brake provider based in Sweden, while the master cylinder is integrated into the handlebar to provide a clean look. The motorcycle has an anti-lock braking system provided by Continental.

Bending sheets of steel

STILRIDE employs the folding technique they name STILFOLD technology. An in-house software intelligently defines the layout from scanned steel and creates geometries to follow folding along complex and curved lines. Churning out the layout and data, the design is fed to an automated robot that folds and forms the steel into the desired design.

As steel expert engineer Henrik Sieurin says, ‘The design freedom enabled by the STILFOLD technology offers a unique possibility to optimize material usage. High-strength steel can be formed in complex shapes generating exceptional stiffness.’ The STILRIDE 1 is the first drop from the Swedish electromobility start-up, attaching a retail price of 15,000 EUR per motorcycle. The company says it aims to rewrite the design rules for sustainable, lightweight electric vehicles using robotics and origami-inspired steel folding.

Tue Beijer, CTO and co-founder at STILRIDE, comments that ‘the STILRIDE 1 is the culmination of many years’ ambition, passion and experimentation, distilled into a deliciously unconventional lightweight electric motorcycle that isn’t only a feat of engineering, but a work of art. It has been designed for both the motorcycle enthusiast and the design and sustainability purist. We can’t wait for our first customers to experience the pure joy of our ride and join us in setting a new gold standard for sustainable electromobility.’