Washington, Dec 31: Warwick University researchers have come up with biodegradable racing cars with top speeds of 150mph.
Warwick University researchers have come up with biodegradable racing cars with top speeds of 150mph.
The sports car called 'Eco One', invented by Ben Woods, is up for show at the Science Museum in London.
It has been made from hemp, or marijuana, and is held together with a resin made from plant oils.
The tyres of the vehicle have been made from 1.5 pct of the potato starch, which replaces some of the fossil fuels, and the break pads are made from cashew nut shells
The bioethanol fuel that powers Eco One is made from wheat and plant oil.
The car's engine and chassis can be easily recycled because they are made up of steel.
The whole car is 95 per cent biodegradable or recyclable.
Formula One would soon be coming out with such biodegradable cars, but has not yet decided what material would be used.
However, Dr Kerry Kirwan, an assistant professor at the university, is planning to include "tropical fibres", including coconuts, in materials for making cars for Formula one.
Dr Kirwan said that he had started building biodegradable racing cars because people thought environmentally friendly products were boring.
Woods hopes that the research will set an example for the motor industry.
"If we can build a high-performance car that can virtually be grown from seed, just imagine what's possible for the average family car," the Environmental News Network quoted Woods as saying. (ANI)
© 2007 ANI
