EDAG Light Cocoon Previews New, Lightweight Materials

Jason Siu
by Jason Siu

No that’s not a futuristic movie car starring in some upcoming horror flick, it’s a concept built to showcase the future of lightweight automotive construction.

“We are pursuing the vision of sustainability as demonstrated by nature: lightweight, efficient, and without any waste,” said EDAG’s head designer, Johannes Barckmann. “The result: the ‘EDAG Light Cocoon’ presents a stable, branch-like load bearing structure from the 3D printer, which only uses material where it is absolutely necessary.”

Set to debut at next year’s Geneva Motor Show, engineering firm EDAG has revealed what it’s calling the “Light Cocoon,” a concept car that features a weatherproof textile outer skin panel. According to EDAG, its designers took a leaf as their inspiration for the project creating the “ultimate, lightweight outer skin” and employed the assistance of outdoor specialists Jack Wolfskin for the material that supports maximum lightweight design requirements with minimum weight.

The material is about about four times lighter than standard copier paper, according to EDAG chief technical officer Jörg Ohlsen and this is actually not the first time its been used on a concept vehicle. In 2008, the BMW GINA Light Visionary concept also had a similar idea, but employed a different chassis. EDAG on the other hand, stretched its weatherproof fabric over a 3D-printed skeleton-style body that has been backlit to give the coupe its subtle glow.

Jason Siu
Jason Siu

Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.

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