Local Motors are creating the first 3D-printable road-ready car. The company aims to retail the model by the end of 2016, and have it on the roads by 2017.
The chassis and body of the LM3D was printed in one go in less than two days, and an electric motor made it driveable at its launch in Detroit at the North American International Auto Show. About 75% of the model is printed using a 80:20 plastic:carbon-fibre blend, with as much as possible in a single piece.
The design was selected from 62 entries by a judging panel, and went from drawing board to prototype in two months.
Local Motors has a business model of allowing customers to interact with the design, parts and tools, and actually build the model themselves.
This is facilitated by ‘micro-factories’ where the Local Motors team physically work with the customer.
Image credit: Creative Tools / Flickr
