A vegan car!

Here’s a refreshing news for a change – a nutritious, racing car! Made entirely out of recycled and renewable materials by British researchers, the WorldFirst, an unusual automobile is built using recycled plastic water and juice bottles, potato starch, carrot fibers and other waste materials.

The car reaches a top speed of 238 kilometers per hour and has been driven more than 800 kilometers for testing and demonstrations since it first rolled out of the lab in April.

Engineers at the Warwick Innovative Manufacturing Research Center (WIMRC) at Warwick University in England built the car as part of a larger project to develop new materials for use in the automotive and health care sectors that meet the goals of sustainable development.

Recycled carbon fiber was used for the large parts of the car such as the engine cover. Fibers made from flax and hemp were used for simple parts such as the bargeboard and bib, which are used to improve aerodynamics. The outer part of the steering wheel was made from Curran, a polymer made by CelluComp in Scotland and derived from carrots and other root vegetables. Curran has properties similar to those of glass or carbon fiber-reinforced polymer. The inside of the driver's seat was made from soy-based foam, while the cover consists of a fabric made from flax.

The WorldFirst racing car runs on biodiesel derived from chocolate fat.

Questions of strength and durability need to be worked out but test drives have shown proof of principle.

Biofiber components derived from a variety of plants are already being used in some non-racing car components. Some manufacturers use biomaterials in door panels, consoles, tire covers and floor mats.

Want to book this one, or wait for one with more meat on it? :)