Company overview
Local Motors was an American manufacturing company based in Phoenix, Arizona. It operated from 2007 until its closure in January 2022. The company focused on producing low-volume vehicles and other products using a microfactory system and co-creation techniques. It developed the Rally Fighter (2009), Strati (2014), and Olli (2016). The Rally Fighter was created through community design input. The Strati, a 3D-printed electric car, took 44 hours to manufacture and involved collaboration with Cincinnati Incorporated and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Local Motors partnered with organizations such as Airbus, GE, IBM, and various governmental agencies to facilitate co-creation. The company utilized additive manufacturing techniques in its production processes. Olli, an autonomous electric minibus, was designed by Edgar Sarmiento and incorporated IBM Watson technology for a personalized rider experience. As of January 2020, Olli was deployed at the United Nations ITCILO campus in Turin, Italy. Local Motors operated microfactories in Phoenix, Knoxville, Las Vegas, Louisville and Washington, DC.
