LSEV is the name of the first mass-produced 3D-printed electric car. It is a result of the partnership between Polymaker, a 3D printing material Chinese company, and XEV, an Italian electric carmaker. LSEV shall start being produced in the second quarter 2019 and was recently shown off at the 3D Printing Cultural Museum in Shanghai, China. Unlike a regular printer, the 3D printer is an equipment capable of printing parts with volume – hence three-dimensional – using plastic filaments.

XEV is not the first carmaker to use 3D printing to make a vehicle, other makers, however, such as Local Motors, only make a small number of cars using this technology. Now, along with Polymaker, the Italy-based carmaker will be able to make the LSEV in large scales.

Fast Development

Thanks to 3D printing, the development time of a car has been shortened compared to the three to five years it takes a vehicle to be produced using the traditional method. Companies project that the development of a new 3D-printed electric car will take only 3 to 12 months, at least three times faster than the traditional way.

In addition, all visible parts of the car are made with the technology, except the chassis, seats and glass. Out of curiosity: there are only 57 distinct parts in the LSEV as compared to more than 2 thousand parts in a traditional car. Such reduction, according to a statement from Polymaker, decreased 70% in costs.

That is, the car is ready three times faster and costs 70% less than traditional vehicles. With only 450 kg, the LSEV already has 7 thousand units ordered, 5 thousand for Poste Italianne, the Italian postal service provider, and the other 2 thousand for a vehicle leasing company called ARVAL. The LSEV costs about US$ 10 thousand, approximately R$ 35 thousand.

What about you, would you like to have one?

Content published in March 28, 2018