The carbon-absorbing electric vehicle created by students in the Netherlands looks like an ordinary sports car, but it has something special: it captures more carbon than it emits.
“Our ultimate goal is to create a more sustainable future,” said Jens Lahaije of Eindhoven University of Technology.
Called ZEM, after zero-emission mobility, the carbon-absorbing, two-seater electric vehicle is equipped with a Cleantron lithium-ion battery, and most of its parts are 3D printed from recycled plastics, Lahaije said.
The carbon-absorbing electric vehicle is environmentally friendly from the production stage to the end of life
The aim is to minimize carbon dioxide emissions throughout the life of the car, from manufacturing to recycling, he added.
Battery electric vehicles emit virtually no CO2 during operation compared to combustion engine vehicles, but the production of battery cells can create so much pollution that it takes tens of thousands of kilometers to achieve “carbon parity” with models comparable on fossil fuels, writes Reuters.
How much carbon can ZEM capture?
The ZEM uses two filters that can capture up to 2 kilograms of CO2 every 30,000 kilometers driven, the team from the University of Eindhoven estimated. Students envision a future where filters can be emptied at charging stations.
The students are showing off their vehicle on a promotional tour of the US to universities and companies from the East Coast to Silicon Valley.