Local Motors, an Arizona-based car manufacturing company, set the automotive world on its ear by introducing the world's first fully-functional 3D printed car, the Strati.

Dubbed the "Strati" (Italian for "layers") and with a solid, one-piece chassis made out of carbon fiber-reenforced thermoplastic, the vehicle has just 49 parts compared to a conventional auto's 5000. 

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The suspension, driving column, lights, wheels, tires, wiring, battery, electric motor, and windows of the Strati are all conventionally made and installed.

"The goal here is to get the number of parts down," said John B. Rogers Jr., chief executive of Local Motors, as he spoke with the New York Times. "Everyone knows that the supply chain is a gargantuan process."

All combined, a Strati can be fully constructed in two days and weighs 2,200 pounds. Designed, and named, by Italian engineer Michele Anoé, the finished product looks something between a modern Volkswagen Beetle convertible and the "Light Cycle" vehicles from the movie Tron.

The invention is a group effort between Local Motors, the Association for Manufacturing Technology, 3D printer firm Cincinnati Incorporated and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The Strati made its debut to rave reviews at the at the International Manufacturing Technology Show in September in Chicago.

With a city-friendly top speed of 40 mph, a Strati battery has a range of 150 miles. 

"We had confidence that we had a fabulous piece of machinery," said Rick Neff of Cinncinati Inc. "And we had a fabulous team and it really all worked perfectly in the end."

Observers noted that in test drives, the Strati handled particularly well, and handled bumps with ease. When asked about safety, James Earle of Local Motors admitted that while the plastic used in the Strati is not stronger than metal per weight, he went on to say an impact between a Strati and another object would be like "a rock slamming into brick wall."

Rogers and Local Motors, based in Phoenix, plan on taking orders for the Strati within 12 to 18 months. 

TagsStrati, 3D Printing, car, Local Motors