<!-- canonical: https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/3d-printed-cars -->
<!-- robots: noindex -->

# 3D Printed Cars
The Local Motors Strati 3D Car Was Printed In 44 Hours Flat

By Rahul Kalvapalle | Published 2014-09-17 | Autos
Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/3d-printed-cars
References: [gizmag](http://www.gizmag.com/local-motors-strati-imts/33846/) & [localmotors](https://localmotors.com/3dprintedcar/)

3D printing has come such a long way that 3D printed cars are now a reality. This was demonstrated in the most dramatic way possible by the live printing of the Local Motors Strati 3D car at the International Manufacturing Technology Show. The entire printing process was completed in just 44 hours, and carried out as part of the 3D Printed Car Design Challenge organized by crowdsource automotive firm Local Motors.

The Local Motors Strati 3D car is the first purely 3D printed car as every single part of the vehicle that doesn't have a mechanical function was 3D printed, unlike previous 3D printed vehicles such as 2010's Urbee.

With the project also marking the first time that the main section of a car was printed in one piece via [direct digital manufacturing](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bambu-lab-h2s), we may be edging closer to a world where production 3D printed cars are a reality.

## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter)

- Score: 3.0/10
- Popularity: 21% | Activity: 60% | Freshness: 8%
- Audience gender: 70% men, 30% women
- Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X
- Top markets: North America, Europe

## Categories

[Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Autos](https://www.trendhunter.com/autos)

## Key Themes

### What Makes This Trend Stand Out

- **3D Printed Cars:** Production of 3D printed cars could soon become a reality with the technological advancements in 3D printing.
- **Direct Digital Manufacturing:** The ability to print the main section of a car in one piece could be a disruptive innovation opportunity for the manufacturing industry.
- **Crowdsourced Automotive Design:** Crowdsourcing could be utilized to improve the design process for 3D printed cars and create more innovative designs.

### Sectors Adopting This

- **Automotive Manufacturing:** 3D printing technology could revolutionize the automotive manufacturing industry by enabling customized and cost-effective production.
- **Additive Manufacturing:** Advancements in 3D printing technology suggest a significant disruption opportunity for the additive manufacturing industry.
- **Crowdsourcing:** Crowdsourcing is expected to help create more innovative and efficient solutions in automotive manufacturing by incorporating feedback from a larger, more diverse audience.

## Related on Trend Hunter

- [3D-Printed Sports Car Concepts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hv001-hybrid-sports-car.md)
- [3D-Printed Hypercar Components](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/3dprinteros.md)
- [3D-Printed Sturdy Homes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cobod.md)
- [Fully Recyclable 3D-Printed Homes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/biohome3d.md)
- [3D-Printed Home Prototypes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-tiny-house-lux.md)
- [3d-Printed Mountain Bikes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/rodeo-bike.md)
- [3D-Printed Hotels](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/3d-printed-hotel.md)
- [3D-Printed Car Storage Inserts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/peugeot.md)
- [Speedy 3D-Printed Hypercars](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/21c-v-max.md)
