Students Make Biodegradable Car From Plants And Veggies

Cars have long been a target of environmentalists, though we suspect this particular machine would pass even the most extreme environmental scrutiny. That’s because this ride is made mostly of plants and sugar beets; it uses electric power, and it will carry four passengers to a speed of 50 miles per hour. The car is called Lina, and it was built by students from Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands. Of course, there’s a bit more to it than just that.

We actually mentioned this car a month ago courtesy of our friends at InsideEVs, but here's a bit more info to, ah, digest. The body, chassis, and interior are made from a bio-based composite that has properties similar to fiberglass. A plant called flax adds a strong, fiber-based structure to the composite, while a bio-plastic made entirely from sugar beets is formed into a honeycomb-shaped core and placed between the composite flax sheets. The only items not bio-based are the suspension, wheels, and of course the car’s electric powertrain which includes modular battery packs and a pair of electric motors.

https://www.motor1.com/news/176393/students-make-biodegradable-car-plants-veggies