LOCI Berlin

A year ago, the German company BigRep showed a prototype of an electric motorcycle assembled from parts printed on a 3D printer. Now, by the same principle, engineers have created the prototype of an autonomous electric vehicle.

The design of the electric sports car LOCI was developed by NowLab, they came up with a convenient means of transportation for short distances – if necessary, for example, quickly get to the airport or from one campus building to another. LOCI can also be used to deliver packages. The overall dimensions are 2850×1460×850 mm, and it consists of 14 unique parts printed on three models of 3D printers.

One type of material developed and patented by BigRep was used to print the case, the other for bumpers. Beams and joints are made of nylon 6, and tires are made of thermoplastic polyurethane.
The company does not disclose the characteristics of the powerplant and the autonomous control system, but mentions a touch media center, an audio system, wireless charging for smartphones and LEDs.

LOCI prototype was released in three versions. The Berlin model is a single-seat car for campuses with airless tires and integrated NFC chips. The San Francisco model with a narrow body and two passenger seats is designed for short trips around the city, and the Dubai model is a luxury taxi for airports.

According to representatives of BigRep, the flexibility of additive printing technology allows to produce models in a limited edition and very faast. Any model can be modified for the specific needs of the customer.