DM Blade Is a 700-HP Supercar with 3D-Printed Components - Automobile
The company’s first prototype is a supercar called Blade, and the initial specs are intriguing. With a curb weight of around 1,400 pounds and a 700-hp engine, the Blade has a claimed 0-60-mph time of 2 seconds. The Nodes are essentially 3D-printed aluminum components that serve as the basis of the Blade’s chassis. The Nodes connect a series of carbon fiber tubing to complete a chassis that the company says weighs just 100 pounds (the Nodes comprise around 60 percent of that weight). With a low-slung body and butterfly-style doors, the Blade certainly has supercar aesthetics. DM says its Node technology vehicles are cheaper and more environmentally friendly than those that come from traditional automakers, and makes many indirect comparisons to Tesla Motors. In one press release, for example, DM claims that its Node technology produces only a third “of the total health and environmental damage of an 85 kWh all electric car,” an obvious reference to the top-spec Tesla Model S sedan. DM bases its claim on the environmental impact of producing and powering the Model S. DM is headed by CEO Kevin Czinger, who is no stranger to automotive startups. Source: www.automobilemag.com
