The Dutch company’s agile all-electric vehicle resembles a BMW coupe, but it differs in that it absorbs more carbon dioxide than it releases.
Jens Lahaije, finance manager for TU/economotive, the Eindhoven University of Technology student team that built the car, stated that “Our end goal is to create a more sustainable future,”
The two-seater, known as ZEM, stands for zero-emission mobility, and Lahaije said that most of its components were 3D-printed from recycled plastics. It is powered by a Cleantron lithium-ion battery pack.
He stated that the goal is to reduce carbon dioxide emissions over the whole life of the car, from production to recycling.
When compared to combustion-engine vehicles, battery electric vehicles emit virtually no CO2 while operating nevertheless, the manufacture of battery cells can produce so much pollution that it may take EVs tens of thousands of miles to reach “carbon parity” with comparable fossil-fueled models.
The Eindhoven team calculated that ZEM uses two filters that can catch up to 2 kilograms (4.41 lb) of CO2 during 20,000 miles of driving.
In the future, filters might be emptied at charging stations, according to their vision.
On a promotional tour of universities and businesses from the East Coast to Silicon Valley, the students are showcasing their car.
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