Although strict CO2 regulations force car manufacturers to fully or partially electrify their vehicles, no car is completely emission-free. However, there is a car that practically sucks up CO2, the Zero Emissions Vehicle.
A group of Dutch students from the Eindhoven University of Technology has produced a Zero Emissions Vehicle (ZEV) that, thanks to a special filter, produces almost zero emissions. They claim that a car can collect up to 2 kg of CO2 every 20,000 kilometers, which is not a huge amount considering that a single tree collects ten times more. However, if more cars used this filter, the result would be far better.
“This car has been developed to minimize CO2 emissions during the production phase, the use phase and the end-of-life phase,” said team member Jens Lahaije.
In the future, filters could be easily cleaned at charging stations for electric car batteries. So far, the filter fills up very quickly and has to be cleaned every 200 miles, but the team is looking for help from the automotive industry to help achieve the goal.
“We are calling on the industry to pick up the gauntlet, and we are naturally happy to think along with them. We have not yet finished developing ourselves and want to take significant steps in the coming years. We cordially invite car manufacturers to come and take a look,” said Nikki Okkels, the external relations manager at the university.
Parts of the car are made of recycled plastic using a 3D printer, such as the chassis and body panels, so it can be said that there is practically no waste.
Source: TU Eindhoven via Facebook