World’s cleanest car built by students is a fully electric car that removes carbon dioxide from the air

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Students in the Netherlands have built a 3D printed car that is fully electric and removes carbon dioxide from the air.

University students have created the world’s cleanest car - so clean it actually removes carbon dioxide from the air. The fully electric car, named “Zem”, is made from 3D printed, recycled plastic, has a dashboard made from cooking oil and an interior made from pineapples.

It is able to remove carbon dioxide from the air via two carbon filters in the front grill, removing around 4.5lbs of CO2 per 20,000 miles. That means  ten cars could remove the same amount of carbon dioxide from the air in a year as three mature trees.

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The car is also fitted with solar panels on the roof, stored energy in addition to a traditional charging point in the rear. The solar panels help the car supply around 15% of its stored energy.

The car, developed by 35 undergraduates at Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands, is built with carbon neutrality in mind in every aspect of the car. It is 3D printed with recycled plastic, and its interior and dashboard is made of pineapples and cooking oil, using natural sources to construct the vehicle.

TU/ecomotive said: "By 3D-printing these parts of Zem, the exact shape that is needed can be printed and almost no waste material is produced. Printing these car parts with circular plastics that can be shredded and re-used for other projects contributes even more to the goal of CO2-neutrality in their car."

The car also comes with new and upcoming technology, bi-directional charging, which allows other items to be charged by the car. TU/ecomotive added: "You can see Zem as a sort of external battery to your house, providing the house with green energy when needed.

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"The bi-directional charging technology has been paired with solar panels that are implemented on the roof of the car. In this way, Zem makes use of both the batteries and the space on the roof to make the vehicle and its surroundings more sustainable, even when it is not driving.

Students in the Netherlands have built a 3D printed car that is fully electric and removes carbon dioxide from the air.Students in the Netherlands have built a 3D printed car that is fully electric and removes carbon dioxide from the air.
Students in the Netherlands have built a 3D printed car that is fully electric and removes carbon dioxide from the air. | TU/ecomotive / SWNS

"In 2050, Europe should be the first climate-neutral continent. With TU/ecomotive, we give a great example of how it can also be done within the (automotive) industry and we show the possibilities of how these sustainability goals can be achieved."

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