Car smorgasbord

We’re all doing our part to help the environment- reusable shopping bags, solar and wind powered houses, edible panties- but who would have thought driving a car would be next on our list of biodegradable and sustainable production?  The University of Warwick said to hell with starving children (just kidding…) and created the first Formula 3 race car built from potatoes, steered by root fibers of a veggie platter, plant oil based lubricants, and equipped with a seat made from soybean oil foam upholstered in a flax fiber weave, potato starch mirrors, and brake pads made from ground cashew shells.  Even the radiator is coated in an emission destroying catalyst.  The car is expected to top out at 145 mph (125mph in the corners!) which would make it competitive in the F3 series, and it meets all Formula 3 racing series standards except its fuel choice- vegetable oil and chocolate waste (isn’t that just the wrapper?).  Oddly enough, F3 cars aren’t allowed to race on biodiesel, keeping it from competing in the series.  The car is expected to be on display at the European Grand Prix and Britain’s Goodwood Festival of Speed.  When asked why they decided to design a car that could be built at a farmers market, the designers probably replied the idea came from playing with their food.  And who wouldn’t want to see this thing race?  Debris from any wreck could be promptly picked up and donated to the food bank- now that’s recycling!

Photo courtesy University of Warwick