125 mph automobile is made from vegetables, plants

If you thought auto racing was all about gas-heads and champagne, WMG students at the University of Warwick will make you think again.

Eco One is an environmentally friendly race car with a difference: Its shell is made from hemp, the tires made from potatoes and the brake pads made from cashew nut shells. It also runs entirely on bio-fuels and bio-lubricants.

But its green credentials don’t hold it back on the track. Designed originally with a top speed of 125 mph, project manager Ben Wood has tweaked the original Formula Student engine and claims he can achieve up to 150 mph – given a long straight and a tailwind.

Wood, studying for his engineering doctorate at WMG, the global innovation specialists based at the University of Warwick, said: “Almost everything on the car can be made out of biodegradable or recyclable materials. All the plastic components can be made from plants and, although the chassis has to be made from steel for strength, steel is a very recyclable material.

“We already have the shell, brake pads, fuel and tires sorted. My aim is to end up with a race car that’s 95 percent biodegradable or recyclable. If we can build a high-performance car that can virtually be grown from seed, just imagine what’s possible for the average family car.”