Worlds First Formula 3 Racing Car made from Carrots (and potatoes)
It’s got a steering wheel made from carrots, a body made from potatoes and it’s powered by waste chocolate and vegetable oil. It can also go 125 miles per hour around corners. It’s not just a vegetarian environmentalist’s wet dream, it’s a real competitive racing car made using environmentally sustainable components.
The project truly is a World First as the team have examined all the components
of the vehicle and attempted to introduce a green and sustainable element into
each aspect of the car. Components made from plants form the mainstay of the
car’s make up, including a race spec steering wheel derived from carrots and
other root vegetables, a flax fibre and soybean oil foam racing seat, a woven
flax fibre bib, plant oil based lubricants and a bio diesel engine configured to
run on fuel derived from waste chocolate and vegetable oil.
It also incorporates a radiator coated in a ground-breaking emission destroying catalyst. As original equipment manufacturers focus on decreasing engine emissions, to meet future CO2 legislation, the WorldFirst project proves that if you are going to wholeheartedly embrace the ‘green is great’ ethos and do more than merely posture, you have to broaden your vision.
This must encompass a strategy that stretches throughout the chain from the raw materials to the final disposal of the car. The project clearly demonstrates that automotive environmentalism can and should be about the whole package. Project Manager, James Meredith a researcher in WMG at the University of Warwick, said “It’s been very exciting working on the project and important for our team to develop a working example of a truly ‘Green’ motor racing car. The WorldFirst project expels the myth that performance needs to be compromised when developing the sustainable motor vehicles of the future.”
The WorldFirst car proves that the practical application of sustainable and renewable materials can spearhead the innovation needed in the “championing of green technology” by motor sport, as recently called for by Sir Richard Branson who showed interest in sponsoring the Honda F1 team.
The idea behind the WorldFirst racing car is to look at ways of producing a car that is ‘truly green’ and can be run as a competitive racecar with minimal impact on the environment.
It is also hoped that WorldFirst’s ethos will eventually lead to a cost reduction for both fans and teams, as the technology advances and components become increasingly recyclable, reusable and cheaper as a result of their more widespread use.
Read more at the WorldFirst web site here.