XEV, a company few have ever heard of, is showing off its LSEV 3D-printed electric car at the China 3D Printing Cultural Museum in Shanghai this week.
The diminutive two-seater could be the world’s first mass produced 3D-printed electric car. The LSEV is a collaboration between XEV, a startup company located in Turin, Italy, and Chinese 3D-printing specialist Polymaker.
XEV claims it has already taken 7,000 pre-orders for the car from Poste Italiane and Arval, a car sharing service owned by BNP Paribas. Interest is also said to be high in China.
The LSEV is small, as in really small. It has a top speed of 43 mph and a range of 90 miles. It weighs a featherlight 450 kilograms (992 pounds). That’s less than a Formula One car.
With the exception of the glass, seats, and chassis, virtually all the pieces of the car are 3D-printed. That is the real story here. 3D printing means a new car can be created in just 3 to 12 months versus the 3 to 5 years needed for a conventional car. 
The LSEV has only 57 parts compared to well over 2000 parts in a typical car. Fewer parts means lower costs. News reports vary on the price of the car, with CNBC quoting $7,500 i.e. Rs.4.87 lacs only at current exchange rates.
Production is scheduled to begin at the end of this year, with the first deliveries set to begin in Europe and Asia in the second quarter of 2019. At the present time, it takes three days to complete one car using 3D-printed parts.