British e-scooter startup bo Mobility and technology company Hypetex are designing the world’s first technical coloured flax fibre e-scooter.
The prototype is being designed using FlaxTex, a new strong, lightweight material that is 100 per cent biodegradable, giving it a net positive carbon footprint at point of manufacturing.
Hypetex has been awarded an Innovate UK Smart Grant to further develop the material and is working with bo to demonstrate its application in the manufacturing of high performance products.
Oscar Morgan, CEO and Co-Founder of bo, told Zag Daily: “At bo we have experimented with different composite materials for our e-scooter chassis and designed the vehicle geometry for these materials. The material from Hypetex is something completely new, visually very interesting and we’re hugely excited to see these first components coming out.
“We’re delighted that Hypetex are looking at micromobility as a testbed for this innovative material which serves to show how relevant this sector has become.”
A core selling point of FlaxTex compared to standard flax fibre is that its properties are enhanced through the colourisation process.
Standard flax fibre is often hindered by its high moisture absorption resulting in reduced structural integrity, while its natural brown colour is considered unappealing for product use. FlaxTex however removes moisture during the colouring process which seals the fibres, waterproofs them and enhances their strength and performance.
Other potential industry uses for FlaxTex include construction, automotive and furniture products.
