Lightweight Sustainable Automobiles

Dutch Students Built and Designed This Biodegradable Car

This student-designed biodegradable car called Lina is made from sugar beets and locally grown flax. Based in the Netherlands, Eindhoven University of Technology students built and designed the lightweight automobile -- weighing around 685 pounds -- out of resin composed of environmentally friendly materials. Certified as road-worthy by the Netherlands Vehicle Authority, the four-seater sustainable car has conventionally comprised wheels and suspensions, but a bio-plastic and bio-composite base frame or chassis.

The biodegradable car fills a gap left by electric vehicles, which do not emit carbon dioxide, but do take considerable energy to manufacture. This process still releases harmful climate change-contributing chemicals. Lina is an example of a more sustainably manufactured machine and method of transportation.
Trend Themes
1. Biodegradable Materials - Exploring and implementing biodegradable materials in manufacturing processes can lead to more sustainable products.
2. Lightweight Design - Developing lightweight automobiles can reduce energy consumption and improve fuel efficiency.
3. Sustainable Manufacturing - Incorporating environmentally friendly materials and methods in the manufacturing process can result in more sustainable products.
Industry Implications
1. Automotive - The automotive industry can benefit from adopting biodegradable materials and lightweight design concepts to produce more sustainable vehicles.
2. Manufacturing - The manufacturing industry can explore and implement sustainable manufacturing practices, including the use of biodegradable materials, to reduce environmental impact.
3. Renewable Resources - The renewable resources industry can support the development and production of sustainable materials like sugar beets and flax used in the biodegradable car manufacturing process.

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