Inventors of the 'Strati' say it's the world's first 3D-printed electric car

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- It may be the first of its kind: a car printed by a 3D printer.

The inventors of the Strati say it is the world's first 3D-printed electric car. It didn't come off an assembly line. It was literally "printed" out of carbon fiber and plastic, using a giant 3D printer.

Glass windows, headlights, the motor, battery and a few other parts were added later. Strati's creators say it took 44 hours to build, and it used fewer than 50 parts.

"It was one of those moments where I felt incredibly frustrated that, despite 100 years of history, we weren't making cars fast enough," said Jay Rogers of Local Motors.

The top speed is 40 mph, and the battery lasts about 120 miles between charges.

Engineers hope to bring the car to market as early as next year, retailing for about $18,000.