Vancouver man designs first 3-D printed car - The Columbian
When Kevin Lo entered an international contest to design the first fleet of 3-D-printed electric cars, the Hewlett-Packard engineer wanted to come up with something that suited a variety of tastes. The design was a winner for the 39-year-old, his first top prize out of 21 entries in contests offered through Arizona-based Local Motors. Local Motors plans to use Lo’s design to debut a low-speed electric vehicle in 2016 and later a highway-ready car. , facility that’s supposed to open in the fall and have the ability to print up to 3,000 cars in its first year, said company spokesman Adam Kress. It’s supposed to showcase the viability of 3-D printing in the auto industry and would be the first widely produced 3-D-printed electric car. Oakridge National Laboratory in Tennessee partnered with Local Motors to get the concept of 3-D printing cars off the ground. Jean Paul Capin, Local Motors’ chief financial officer, said Lo’s design will evolve as the company moves through prototyping and the first print, but Lo will be involved in the process. The contest specified that the car should have a soft top, which Lo incorporated along with removable body panels. Source: www.columbian.com
