Could this 3D-printed electric car be a game-changer?

If a large camper trailer can be 3D-printed, then it stands to follow that a car could be, too. And the tiny, electricity-powered LSEV is just that. Created as a partnership between Italian electric car company XEV and Shanghai-based Polymaker, which develops materials for 3D printing, the compact vehicle is remarkable for its ability to be mass-produced at a low cost.

The two-seater boasts a lightweight construction thanks to a reduction in the number of component parts; all of the visible parts of the car are 3D-rendered in Polymaker materials except for the chassis, seats, and glass. Polymaker claims that these elements lead to a greater fuel efficiency, and, along with a shortened R&D process, reduced manufacturing costs.

Weighing just 450 kilograms, or 992 pounds, and costing $7,500, as CNBC reports, the fully electric LSEV could be a game-changer in the automotive industry. XEV plans to start production in 2019. Take a look.

Via: Inhabitat