How Maeving Used Creo to Build the Electric Motorcycle of the Future

Maeving, a startup based in Coventry, UK — a region renowned for its automotive expertise — has embarked on a journey to transform the electric motorcycle industry. Co-founders Seb Inglis-Jones and Will Stirrup are committed to creating motorcycles that merge innovative design with sustainable practices.  

Inspired by the high adoption of electric two-wheelers in China, the duo developed the idea of a lightweight motorcycle with removable batteries, allowing users to recharge them anywhere — eliminating the need for charging infrastructure and addressing electric range anxiety. 

Maeving’s success can be attributed to its engineering prowess. The company assembled a team of highly experienced engineers, including veterans from Triumph Motorcycles. The design of Maeving’s flagship RM1 motorcycle required a customized approach, with 90% of its components being proprietary. The engineering team used Creo’s 3D CAD tools to create each component in detail and employed its built-in finite element analysis (FEA) tools to simulate the real-world performance of these parts. 

“I’ve been using PTC products for nearly 24 years,” said Peter Taylor, Maeving’s lead project engineer, to Develop3D. “With Maeving being a start-up, and there being a need to get up and running and get things done as quickly as possible, there was an expediency to being able to use software solutions that the users were experienced with.” 

Every part of the bike was modeled in Creo, starting with a skeleton model that allowed the team to position components precisely. Tools like Creo Mechanisms were vital to ensuring the right fit and clearance between parts, while Creo Simulation helped the team optimize material use and weight distribution, balancing performance and efficiency.  

“The main thing is being able to put in accurate details from the materials, to be able to get a good estimate of weight distribution,” Taylor said. “When it comes to looking at materials and what loads parts have to withstand, we use [Creo] Simulation to guide us on where to improve the spec of material or see if areas using a certain steel grade could maybe use aluminum.” 

By integrating design and simulation in one software package, Maeving was able to iterate faster and keep its development process lean. Creo serves as the hub for the RM1 motorcycle's design. PLM data is managed through Windchill, ensuring seamless collaboration between Maeving and its partners. 

With Creo at the core of its design process, Maeving is not just building electric motorcycles but also setting new standards for sustainable urban transport, blending British engineering excellence with forward-thinking innovation. Read the full article from Develop3D here.