Swedish startup unveils first 'origami' e-motorcycle -- and EUR15K price tag

What do you get when you mix motorcycles with origami? The answer, dear reader, is the Stilride 1.

The unique vehicle is the brainchild of Swedish startup Stilride. The company today unveiled the final design and price for the new electric ride, which is due to launch in 2024.

For EUR15,000, each customer will get a made-to-order motorcycle that combines looks, performance, and sustainability.

To manufacture each vehicle, Stilride uses a pioneering method dubbed "industrial origami," which applies the Japanese art of paper-folding to sheet metal. The startup's software first defines the geometries, which industrial robots and laser-cutting then bring to life.

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For the Stilride 1, the entire process requires a single sheet of stainless steel. As it's folded instead of welded, minimal pollutants are produced. To further minimise the environmental impact, the bike is produced locally from a small number of parts. It's also lightweight, which reduces energy consumption.

"It's been designed for both the motorcycle enthusiast and the design and sustainability purist.

"It's been designed for both the motorcycle enthusiast and the design and sustainability purist.

Tue Beijer, CTO and co-founder at Stilride, wants the bike to set "a new gold standard" for electric mobility.

"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," Beijer said in a statement. "It has been designed for both the motorcycle enthusiast and the design and sustainability purist."

But does it pass the eye test? You can judge that for yourself in the gallery below:

The aesthetics modernise the previous design, which my colleague Ioanna compared to "an origami duck." To my eyes, the new model looks more like the steel lovechild of a Vespa and an electric guitar.

Regardless, looks aren't everything on the road. In terms of specs, the Stilride 1 features an ultra-lightweight chassis made from recycled Swedish steel, a premium HUB motor system, single shock absorber and multi-link rear suspension, and a braking system that was co-developed with ISR.

There's also a compelling connectivity system. The motorcycle's Electric Vehicle Control Unit (eVCU) powers various features through the Stilcontrol app, which provides theft protection, geographical positioning, service diagnostics, and battery status control.

You can find further technical details in the image below:

The specs and price are certainly eye-catching -- but will they convince you to splash your hard-earned cash? Let us know via the usual channels.

If your answer's yes, the launch date for the Stilride 1 will be announced this summer. And if you're interested in early access, you can get more information on Stilride's website.