Škoda Auto has become the first car manufacturer in the world to allow anyone to print their own accessories at home. The company has introduced a range of free, downloadable 3D models that are designed to fit precisely in its cars, adding new functionality and personalisation options. While many of the accessories are designed for the recently launched Peaq and Epiq SUVs, many other models are included, even older discontinued ones.
The files can be found at printables.com, a popular 3D printing resource and repository of downloadable 3D models. Users can download the files and then fabricate their desired accessories at home if they already have the equipment, or take them to a commercial printer.
Among the accessories are storage boxes, a cable clip, various cupholder inserts, a phone mount, and a tether hook. The Peaq and Epiq in particular get cupholder covers, a jumbo box tray, special inserts and holders, and a lower console organiser. There’s even a clip-on cupholder for the Peaq’s foldable table, which can fit different sized cups.
The range of accessories was developed by designers and engineers at Škoda’s innovation incubator. Users can of course customise them, or use the schematics to design their own accessories which will fit perfectly into each car. They can then be 3D printed in a choice of colours and materials.
The collection’s name, Printly Clever, is a play on Škoda’s Simply Clever slogan. In addition to accessories, the company has previously published digital 3D blueprints for a number of scale models based on its cars, as well as lifestyle accessories such as earrings and keychains. Many of the new 3D models are based on specific feedback from the Škoda vehicle owner community about their cars’ functionality.
All the 3D models are free to download, and have been released strictly for personal, non-commercial use. The public licence allows modifications, but prohibits anyone from selling or redistributing the files, objects produced using them, and any derivative works such as modified or customised versions.
