Normally, just making it would take several years

Nov 20, 2014 10:49 GMT  ·  By

Cars are a fairly hot topic right now, even though it might not seem like it to some, because the world is finally putting some actual effort into moving from fossil fuels to purely electrical systems. Apparently, Stratasys wanted in on the action.

One thing some may immediately notice is that Stratasys isn't a name often heard in the automobile industry. That's understandable, because the company is, indeed, not a car maker. Instead, it is a 3D printing specialist.

Additive manufacturing has been proving so useful in engineering. To the point where there are even airplane makers that use 3D printing to make engine parts.

We also know of two cars whose entire chassis are 3D printed. The Strati may ring a bell if you've been following this new field of automobile design.

Stratasys now has a new car for you to check out. It is still a prototype, but it does bode well for the future of automobiles in general.

The C16 prototype

In truth, the C16 vehicle in the attached gallery was not made by Stratasys, but by German electric vehicle manufacturer StreetScooter, a spin-off company of Aachen University.

StreetShooter did use a Stratasys Objet1000 3D Production System to build most of the parts, however. It allowed it to save a lot of time on design and prototyping.

Normally, it can take years to design and build a new car model, after which some months have to be spent testing it for speed, safety and operational comfort.

Thanks to 3D printing, everything from the design to the production and testing was accomplished over the course of a single year.

StreetScooter was previously known for producing the small delivery truck used by the Deutsche Post, but the new C16 looks like a significant departure from that concept. It's definitely a consumer vehicle, if nothing else.

The company didn't share many details about it, but we do know the overall hopes for it. The car should weight around 450 kilos / 992 pounds (not including the battery) and be able to reach 100 kph / 62 mph top speed, which can be maintained for at least 100 km / 62 miles before the battery runs out.

The Objet1000 printer, said to be the largest multi-material 3D printer in the world, can produce APS parts up to 3.3 feet / 1 meter in length.

Not all the parts were 3D printed, but the list of those that were is significant: door panels, bumper systems, the front and back panels, the wheel arches, the lamp masks and some small interior items.

Availability and pricing

They are unknown. However, if you happen to pass through Frankfurt between November 25 and 28, you can see the prototype on display at the booth Stratasys reserved at the EuroMold show.

The C16 3D printed car (5 Images)

StreetScooter C16
Stratasys Objet1000 3D Production SystemStreetScooter C16 3D printed part
+2more