Here come the 3D printed cars, courtesy of Canada

There might have been a time when I would have been surprised to hear that someone was using 3D printers to make a car. But, well, this is 2013.

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The car in this case is the Urbee, a tiny three-wheeled economy car with an electric motor, internal combustion engine, and 3D-printed frame. Designed by the Manitoba-based Kor EcoLogic, the Urbee was manufactured using a Stratasys Fortus printer, which is able to cut down on parts by printing the Urbee in roughly 50 large blocks. 

While prototypes of the Urbee have been around for a few years, it’s only now that the team is finally ready to begin producing the concept with the Urbee 2, Urbee engineer Jim Kor told the Pioneer Press.

Predictably, cost is an early concern the Urbee, though Kor says that the price disadvantage could evaporate as 3D printing technology continues to evolve.

Printing the whole car should take 2,500 hours — or, roughly three months.