Skip to main content

Forget miles of assembly lines. Local Motors is now 3D-printing cars

Crowdsourcing carmaker Local Motors may be best known for the V8-powered, dune-conquering Rally Fighter, but for its next project, the company has ventured completely to the other end of the spectrum.

Like the automotive firm projected in March, Local Motors is currently building a 3D-printed electric car at the International Manufacturing Technology Show in Chicago.

Recommended Videos

Related: Local Motors’ 3D-printed electric car to become a reality in Chicago

According to Top Gear, the electric car is called the Strati, and is full-sized, completely drivable, and is made up of just 40 parts. For comparison’s sake, the average car has something on the order of 30,000.

This amazing feat of engineering was made possible by 3D-printing technology that takes just 44 hours to create the car. If everything goes well, Local Motors hopes to drive the Strati off the technology show’s floor.

The automotive firm released a video recently detailing the vehicle’s assembly process. The time-lapse really is quite astounding, as the Strati isn’t so much assembled as it is grown.

Local Motors Strati
Image used with permission by copyright holder

A robotic sprayer meticulously sprays out an amalgam of carbon fiber and plastic to fill in the bodywork, supports, seats, dashboard, and even the windshield.

The 3D printer can’t cover every part of the car, though, so the electric powertrain (sourced from a Renault Twizy), suspension, wiring, and battery were borrowed from outside sources.

Like the Rally Fighter, Local Motors’ Strati was born from a community-based design collaboration. Italian Michele Anoé submitted the winning layout, winning a $5,000 prize in the process.

Local Motors was previously quoted as saying the car will be “purpose-built for the urban transportation needs of Chicago,” and the company “hopes to have it on the streets in the months following the show.”

Andrew Hard
Andrew first started writing in middle school and hasn't put the pen down since. Whether it's technology, music, sports, or…
Cheaper EVs ahead? GM and LG say new battery cells are the key
2025 Chevrolet Equinox EV front quarter view.

General Motors and LG Energy Solution have announced a new phase in their ongoing partnership: developing a new battery cell chemistry that could significantly lower the cost of electric vehicles. The joint effort centers on lithium manganese iron phosphate (LMFP) battery cells, a variation of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) that’s gaining popularity for being more affordable and less reliant on expensive materials like nickel and cobalt.

This is a big deal because battery costs are still the single largest expense in producing EVs. According to GM and industry experts, LMFP cells could help bring the cost of electric vehicles close to — or even on par with — gas-powered cars. The goal? Making EVs accessible to a broader range of drivers without sacrificing range or performance.

Read more
Waymo recalled 1,200 robotaxis following collisions with road barriers
Waymo Jaguar I-Pace

Waymo’s autonomous-car technology has made great advances over the years to the point where it’s now allowed to offer paid robotaxi rides in select locations in the U.S.

But the development of the technology is ongoing, and the robotaxi rides continue to gather valuable data for Waymo engineers to pore over as they further refine the driverless system to make it as reliable and efficient as possible. Which is why glitches will sometimes occur.

Read more
Apple CarPlay Ultra looks stunning in Aston Martin supercar debut
Apple CarPlay Ultra

Apple CarPlay Ultra is the next generation of the Cupertino, California-based firm's smartphone projection system for your car, and it's available in new vehicles in the US and Canada.

When we say "new cars", your options are very much limited to one brand... Aston Martin. So you'll need deep pockets if you want to experience CarPlay Ultra for yourself.

Read more