Local Motors reveals the design for its Reload Redacted – Swim/Sport 3D printed electric cars
Local Motors is best known for its jacked-up custom-build Rally Fighter and for its production of a 3D printed car at last year’s SEMA, now it’s revealed the design for its 3D printed electric cars.
LOCAL MOTORS launched a competition at SEMA last year to come up with the design for its new 3D printed electric cars range, which is expected to debut in early 2016. The winner was Kevin Lo and he’s called his two-model combination, Reload Redacted – Swim/Sport.
The idea behind it is a 3D printed chassis which will allow various body style to be designed and fitted to the chassis. In the case of Reload Redacted – Swim/Sport, Lo designed two body styles, one a sports car and the other a beach buggy.
One of the contest judges, Jay Leno said: You need something that makes you go ‘what’s that?’ My top choice would be Reload Redacted – Swim/Sport because it’s sporty, fun, and you can commute in it”.
Local Motors CEO and co-founder, John B. Rogers said: “At Local Motors, we are hellbent on revolutionising manufacturing. Car manufacturers have been stamping parts the same way for more than 100 years. We now have the technology to make the process and products better and faster by linking the online to the offline through DDM. This process will create better and safer products, and we are doing exactly that”.
Despite the looks of both versions, Local Motors has said its finished product won’t look exactly like these designs, rather they’ll act as inspiration for the final product, which will be a low-speed electric vehicle. There’s no mention of what sort of motor, or motors or battery system the Local Motors vehicle would run. Stay tuned.
So, what do you think, are 3D-printed vehicles the future, or a fad?
