Dutch Students Grow Their Own Biodegradable Car

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monkeymagick

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Students from Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands have developed an electric car that consists of sugar beets and flax (auto-start video). The biodegradable car travels to speeds at 50 mph and seats up to 4 at a weight of about 684 pounds. Still in its prototype phase, the vehicle only breaks instead of bending during crash tests. They need to team up with the Chia Company as soon as they can as I await for my bean-powered flying Jetson's car.

Demands to reduce air pollution and tackle climate change have pushed auto companies towards alternative designs, but most are still require a great deal of energy to make.
 
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"Only the wheels and suspension systems are not yet of bio-based materials," said Yanic van Riel, one of the developers from the TU/Ecomotive team at the Eindhoven University of Technology.
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And the engine, and the glass, and the batteries...
 
And I wanted cars to last longer... not disintegrate faster. Silly me.
 
Dayaks said:
And I wanted cars to last longer... not disintegrate faster. Silly me.
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but just think...now if a body panel gets damaged, you can patch it up with a bondo-like compound made from peanut butter & oatmeal !
 
so there i was looking at the article pic, and this is all i read of the headline

Dutch Students Grow Their Own

 
Sugar beets and flax? Meh. Make it out of Captain Crunch and I'll be impressed.
 
How many rain storms until it dissolves?
How much until it starts to smell terrible?
 
684 lbs means there's no way it can meet US safety standards. Come back when it's got 10 airbags, seat belts, crumple zones, etc., and tops out at 30mph.

Of course, either way, it's utterly unsuitable for long distances in the US. Might make a decent commuting car, if you lived in a city.
 
I went and read the Reuters article. "Only the wheels and suspension are not biodegradable."

So it's got no engine, apparently.

They're waiting for approval to test drive it. Well, approval and an engine, of course.
 
What a waste of time. There is no need for a biodegradable car. People don't leave millions of cars out in the fields to rot. They don't want to compost them. They need to be 100% recyclable. That is the true desired endpoint. They should not allow non recyclable parts in cars. For instance why is everyone so hot on carbon fiber parts in cars. Sure it's light and strong but if it isn't recyclable it is useless. Make cars out of aluminum, steel, (certain) plastics.
 
1_rick said:
I went and read the Reuters article. "Only the wheels and suspension are not biodegradable."

So it's got no engine, apparently.

They're waiting for approval to test drive it. Well, approval and an engine, of course.
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Maybe it is propelled by their feet.. like the Flintstone's car.
 
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