BIOCARGO — Bio-Based Fibre-Reinforced 3D-Printed Frames for Light Cargo Vehicles

The problem. Urban logistics is electrifying fast — cargo bikes, e-trikes, and light cargo quadricycles (L2e–L7e) are replacing diesel vans for last-mile delivery across European cities. But their frames are still welded steel or aluminium: heavy, payload-limiting, energy-intensive to produce, and built around fixed tooling that locks small OEMs out of the market. Every kilogram of frame is a kilogram of payload lost.

The idea. Develop and validate structural cargo vehicle frames produced by continuous bio-fibre 3D printing — using flax, hemp, or basalt reinforcement in a recyclable thermoplastic matrix (PLA, PA11 from castor oil, or recycled PP). The project combines:

• Topology-optimised frame architecture driven by digital-twin simulation of cargo-specific load cases — high static payloads (up to 250 kg), dynamic braking loads, off-axis loading from unbalanced cargo, fatigue from cobbled urban routes

• Continuous bio-fibre additive manufacturing with robotic deposition, enabling load-aligned fibre paths impossible with conventional layup

• Hybrid metal–composite interfaces at steering head, dropouts, and motor/battery mounts for serviceability

• Fully recyclable bio-composite system — shred-and-reprint demonstrated at pilot scale, with chemical recovery as a backup pathway

• Embedded sensors for structural health monitoring — critical for commercial cargo operators where frame failure is a safety and liability issue

• Distributed micro-factory production model — printable on demand at regional sites, eliminating shipping of bulk frames and enabling small-batch customisation per fleet

Targeted impact.

• ~35% mass reduction vs. steel cargo frames, ~15% vs. aluminium, at equal or better stiffness

• 60–70% reduction in embodied CO₂ per frame vs. welded steel baseline (bio-fibres act as carbon sinks during growth)

• Closed-loop material recovery validated at TRL 6

• Homologation pathway documented for EU L1e–L7e categories

• Cost parity with aluminium cargo frames at low-to-medium volumes (1,000–10,000 units/year), where steel and aluminium tooling is uneconomical

TRL. Entering at TRL 4 (lab-validated printed sub-structures with bio-fibre reinforcement), exiting at TRL 6 (full cargo frame prototype, loaded, ridden, tested to relevant standards in operational urban delivery environment).

Scope alignment with the 2026 Eureka Lightweighting Call. The proposal addresses five priority areas: novel and bio-based lightweight materials with optimised manufacturing; substitution of conventional materials with sustainable, lower-footprint alternatives; digital tools for design and lifecycle assessment; structural health monitoring of new components; and circular business models for lightweight products.

Consortium sought.

• Continuous-fibre AM technology provider — robotic printing platform, process control software, ideally already working with bio-fibre feedstocks

• Bio-composite materials partner — flax/hemp/basalt fibre supplier and bio-thermoplastic compounder, with recycling capability

• Cargo vehicle OEM — cargo bike, e-trike, or light cargo quadricycle manufacturer, owner of homologation route and fleet customer relationships

• Research / testing institute — mechanical, fatigue, and crash testing; LCA; recycling demonstration

• Optional — fleet operator (logistics company) as end-user partner for real-world demonstrator; SHM/sensor specialist

Geography. Open to all participating countries. Particular interest in partners from Germany (composites, AM), Belgium (bio-composites, flax value chain), Poland (cargo OEMs, manufacturing), Spain (light EV integration), and South Korea (advanced AM).

Project duration. 30–36 months, targeting a fleet-tested cargo prototype and a documented path to series production.