3D-Printed Supercar Blade Designed With Green Benefits

Jun 25, 2015 11:58 AM EDT | John Nassivera

San Francisco startup Divergent Microfactories is making history in the auto industry by unveiling the prototype of the world's first-ever supercar created with 3D-printing technology.

The new car, called the Blade, is made up of 3D-printed aluminum rods that can be arranged in any way the user desires, as well as a 102-pound carbon chassis that the company claims to be as strong and rigid as a regular chassis, according to Digital Trends.

The goal for Divergent CEO Kevin Czinger is to reduce the impact that cars have on the environment, which could get worse as the world's automakers are expected to build 4 billion cars over the next 30 years. Czinger, inspired by the progress electric cars have made in this field, plans to do the same with his creation.

The Blade has a weight advantage over modern cars, as it weighs only 1,400 lbs, which is 90 percent less than the average vehicle, the Daily Mail reported. The car also comes with a 700-horespower engine that can use either compressed natural gas or gasoline, and it can go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in only two seconds.

3D-Printing is included to reduce pollution, materials and capital costs that come with building cars. This technology could make the Blade a cheaper alternative to EVs, as researcher say the costs of building such cars makes them less green than carbon-fueled vehicles.

"At Divergent Microfactories, we've found a way to make automobiles that holds the promise of radically reducing the resource use and pollution generated by manufacturing," Czinger said. "It also holds the promise of making large-scale car manufacturing affordable for small teams of innovators."

Another benefit of the technology is that you can use the same parts to build cars and trucks, which results in less production lines and no need for expensive machines, Digital Trends reported.

Czinger believes that it will cost $10 million to build 10,000 Blade units a year, which costs much less than the average plant. Divergent currently wants to start the Blade off in limited production and make its technology available to small automakers around the world so they can build their own supercars. 

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