Calgary’s Motive Industries brings automobile CleanTech to an entirely new level
A very intriguing concept vehicle will be unveiled at an electric mobility trade show in Vancouver in September.
It’s a four-passenger, zero-emission electric automobile—with a body constructed of impact-resistant, bio-composite hemp. Yep. Hemp.
Motive Industries, based out of Calgary, has generated some buzz in the automotive world with its “cleantech” innovation.
“We saw a unique opportunity to make significant advancements in the automotive sector and support the Canadian auto sector by providing sustainable products to create new green manufacturing jobs,” Nathan Armstrong, president of Motive Industries, told The Province.
The hemp-based material used for the car’s body is lighter and more environmentally friendly than typical materials, such as fibreglass, as well as being less expensive. That’s a win-win-win. Not bad for just a seven-person team.
The prototype has been titled “Kestrel.” Vice-pres of design for Motive, Darren McKeage, has stated that the company does not plan to manufacture Kestrel currently, but will utilize the trade show to demonstrate to the country what can be done with cheap, enviornmentally conscious materials.
