United kingdom Daily news: Just don't run into anyone else: Students enter road race with car made of cardboard

Rabu, 04 Juli 2012

Just don't run into anyone else: Students enter road race with car made of cardboard

Just don't run into anyone else: Students enter road race with car made of cardboard

Vehicle made of plywood and cardboard has hessian tyres
Powered by hydrogen fuel cell
Racing against other 'eco cars' in Shell race in Kuala Lumpur

By Rob Waugh

PUBLISHED: 11:41 EST, 4 July 2012 | UPDATED: 11:42 EST, 4 July 2012

In any normal race, the car would be disqualified instantly - not only is it made of cardboard and plywood, it's also powered by explosive hydrogen.

But the Shell Eco-Marathon is a hotbed for wacky vehicles - and the plywood car, designed by students at Aston University in Birmingham, is a hot contender.

It drew up on the starting grid alongside other eco-friendly vehicles in Kuala Lumpur today.

The chassis of the car was constructed using a plywood and cardboard honeycomb composite - it was entered into a race this week

The car was entered in the Shell Eco-Marathon 2012

A team of students from Birmingham's Aston University designed the wooden vehicle

'The car we are building will be entered into the 'urban concept' category and will be powered by a Nexa Ballard Hydrogen Fuel Cell,' says the team of students behind the vehicle.

'As it's an eco-marathon, we are trying to be as sustainable as possible in the entire design of the car- making the chassis out of cardboard and plywood and using bio-resin infused fibres for body panels.'

The car was built by a team of undergraduate Engineering and Design students in Birmingham, UK.

It has already won a design award in a competition against 200 design teams from 24 different universities.

Their innovative car, which runs on hydrogen, has a body made from cardboard sandwiched between plywood certified by the British Forestry Commission.

Its tyre covers are made from bio-resin, infused with hessian fibres, with the whole structure collapsible for easy delivery.

The car entered the Shell Eco-Marathon 2012 - the way to win is to design a vehicle that can travel as far as possible on a limited amount of fuel

Teams line up on the track for a group photo on day one of the Shell Eco-marathon Challenge Asia at Sapang International Circuit in Kuala Lumpur, Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Other competitors in this year's Shell Eco Marathon include a streamlined vehicle that can do 584mpg.

Called the Lamina â€" it was built by a team of engineers from the California Polytechnic State University.

Itâ€™s powered by a modified Honda generator and can hit 25mph flat out. Its low fuel consumption is partly achieved by coasting.