3D Printed Cars Make An Appearance At The Detroit Auto Show

3D printing is an amazing piece of technology. It allows users to create objects on the fly and in some cases, the results can even be used for medical purposes. However the question here is, how do you feel about a 3D printed cars? Given that there are many who place great importance in the sturdiness of their vehicle, would you be willing to drive a 3D printed car?

We suppose that it might take a while before 3D printed cars catch on, but in the meantime during the Detroit Auto Show, there were a couple of 3D printed cars that made an appearance. This included a replica of the Shelby Cobra which looks almost like the real thing, and the Strati we guess looks more like a buggy than a car, but it’s still pretty cool nonetheless.

Both vehicles are working, although in the case of the replica Shelby Cobra, it will not feature the car’s signature V-8 engine, but rather an electric motor has been fitted under the hood of the car instead. The body of the car was printed with carbon fiber and Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene that is both strong and heat resistant.

As for the Strati, this is actually an updated model from last year and is made by Local Motors and was actually printed live at the event itself. The vehicle features plastic components and can achieve a top speed of 25 miles per hour thanks to its electric motor. Nothing to shout at in terms of speed, but we guess the main focus here is the process. The Strati took about 44 hours to print and the company is hoping to put it up for sale later this year where it will cost $18,000-$30,000.

As for Oak Ridge National Laboratory who was responsible for the Shelby Cobra replica, they don’t believe that 3D printed cars will be the way of the future, at least not anytime soon, but rather it provides a way for designers to quickly test working models before the actual manufacturing process begins.

[Image credit – The Verge]

Tyler Lee
Categories: Transportation
Tags: 3D Printing