Local Motors: A new kind of car company - BusinessWeek

When John B. Rogers was a Marine deployed in Iraq in 2004, he brought a book called Winning the Oil Endgame with him to the Gulf. The book, by environmental activist Amory B. Lovins, discusses how people can end their dependence on fossil fuels. Rogers says reading the volume inspired him to create a new type of car company, one he believes offers a more efficient and effective way of designing, manufacturing, and selling autos.

By March 2009 there were 2,400 active contributors to the site, uploading drawings, commenting on each others' work, and voting on designs. Today, Rogers says that number has climbed to 4,000. "And if you count our social media channels—our presence on YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter—there are 50 million more people in our community," he adds...