Chocolate-powered race car

Published: Sunday | June 14, 2009


AP:

Scientists unveiled recently what they hope will be one of the world's fastest biofuel vehicles, powered by waste from chocolate factories and made partly from plant fibres.

Its makers hope the racer will go 145 mph and give manufacturers ideas about how to build more ecologically friendly vehicles.

The car runs on vegetable oils and chocolate waste that has been turned into biofuel. The steering wheel is made out of plant-based fibres derived from carrots and other root vegetables, and the seat is built of flax fibre and soybean oil foam. The body is also made of plant fibres.

Scientists at the University of Warwick say their car is the fastest to run on biofuels and also be made from biodegradable materials. It has been built to Formula 3 specifications about the car's size, weight, and performance.