TU Eindhoven with recyclable and circular EV concept
The ecomotive team at the TU Eindhoven has been looking into sustainable design for years now. Their latest electric car concept takes its clues from the circular economy. It is made from recyclable materials and uses renewable resources in the production process.
Expect to see the Noah EV also known as the world’s first “circular car” by June this year. Built be students from the TU Eindhoven’s ecomotive group, Noah is a follow up from Lina. The latter had sugar beet at heart and the whole vehicle only weighed 300 kilos, making “her” very efficient.
For the new Noah EV, not much has been said about the electric drivetrain. Only key figures such as a top speed of 100 kph and a 240 km range exist out there so far. The battery though will consist of six modules, making it easy to swap them both in case of a recharge and also when technology improves, similar to the idea of the Fairphone.
The new Noah concept EV is the team’s fifth concept car and this time sits two persons. Its body consists of biocomposite and bio-based plastics, made mostly from flax, and said to have a similar strength-to-weight ratio as glass fibre.
The 350 kg Noah is now made up of more than 90 percent renewable materials. In previous ecomotive concepts, a matrix of polypropylene bridged the gap between two biocomposite panels. The EV’s honeycomb-like center is now made from sugarcane PLA, meaning it is fully recyclable. Moreover, chassis and interior panels can be detached to make recycling or re-use easier.
The TU/e team is now building the electric vehicle to get it ready for road and safety testing ahead of license plate application. Last time, Lina made it through the registration and once Noah gets licensed, the students will take it on a tour to select European cities this summer. For a preview, watch Noah in action below.
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