The Areion at the Formula Student Germany competition.
It happened: the world’s first 3-D-printing-produced car was born. Belgian team Formula Group T introduced the Areion at the Formula Student Germany competition to produce “a non-professional weekend autocross or sprint racer for a niche sales market that will be part of a viable business model,” as Wired reports. The Areion’s body and many of its parts were created using 3-D printing.
The team used a mammoth stereolithography machine from supplier Materialize, which can print parts as big as 2,100 x 680 x 800 mm, to make the Areion’s body. The body conceals an 85-kW motor operating on 50-volt lithium polymer batteries. The chassis is composed of a steel tubular space frame, and the suspension features double-A carbon wishbones with titanium uprights. The whole thing weighs just 617 pounds (280kg).
In appearances in England, Germany and Belgium, Formula Group T has shown off the Areion’s capabilities, including a top speed of 87 mph. Check out pictures of the Areion here.
