University students have created the world's cleanest car - a fully electric vehicle that removes carbon dioxide from the air
University students have created the world's cleanest car - a fully electric vehicle that removes carbon dioxide from the air.
The vehicle - dubbed 'Zem' - is 3D-printed from recycled plastic, has an interior made of pineapples and a dashboard made of cooking oil.
Zem has a pair of carbon filters in the front grill that cleans the atmosphere by removing around 4.5lb of CO2 per 20,000 miles.
It means that just ten of the cars would remove the same amount of carbon from the air as a mature tree yearly.
Zem is also fitted with solar panels on the roof which supply around 15% of the car's stored energy as well as a traditional charging point on the rear.
It was created by 35 undergraduates at Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands.
Carbon neutrality has been built into every aspect of the car.
The vehicle is 3D-printed from recycled plastic, it has an interior made of pineapples, and a dashboard made of cooking oil.
TU/ecomotive said: "By 3D-printing these parts of Zem, the exact shape that is needed can be printed and almost no waste material is produced.
"Printing these car parts with circular plastics that can be shredded and re-used for other projects contributes even more to the goal of CO2-neutrality in their car."
The car is also home to an upcoming technology, bi-directional charging, which means that it can be used to charge other items.
TU/ecomotive added: "You can see Zem as a sort of external battery to your house, providing the house with green energy when needed.
"The bi-directional charging technology has been paired with solar panels that are implemented on the roof of the car.
"In this way, Zem makes use of both the batteries and the space on the roof to make the vehicle and its surroundings more sustainable, even when it is not driving.
"In 2050, Europe should be the first climate-neutral continent.
"With TU/ecomotive, we give a great example of how it can also be done within the (automotive) industry and we show the possibilities of how these sustainability goals can be achieved."
