The LM3D Swim was designed by Stanford University graduate Kevin Lo, who made the design in his spare time for Local Motors’ Project Redacted challenge. That competition was hosted on Local Motors’ co-creation platform, Open IO, with the goal of identifying designs for the next generation of 3-D printed cars.
“I didn’t know how to design cars,” Lo told USA Today last week. “I wanted to do something more classic and more basic.”
According to the LM press release, it plans to release several new models in the LM3D series throughout 2016 while pursuing federal crash testing and highway certifications. Pre-sales of the cars are expected to begin in spring 2016 with a targeted manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $53,000. Manufacturing and delivery of the vehicles are expected in early 2017. All cars in the LM3D series will be built at a new Local Motors factory now under construction in Knoxville, Tenn., which is on pace to be completed by the end of 2015. Rogers is also looking to open a plant in the National Harbor section of Prince George’s County, Md.
