Kestrel, the Cannabis Car

Now, don' go thinking that the Kestrel is packed with Cannabis... It is, if you like, wrapped in the stuff, as its creators, Motive, went for a type of Cannabis fiber called hemp when designing the body of the car.

Motive calls its vehicle the Kestrel bio-composite bodied electric car, a vehicle which is a first for the Canadian automotive industry. The car is a 4 passenger compact electric vehicle made of impact resistant bio composite material, a choice made to improve the vehicle's efficiency. It will be unveiled at the 2010 VE Conference and Trade Show in Vancouver this September.

“We saw a unique opportunity to make significant advancements in the automotive sector and support the Canadian Auto Sector by providing sustainable products and opportunities to create new green manufacturing jobs,” said Nathan Armstrong, Motive president.

The bio composite material was chosen to be transformed into a body of a car because it is lighter and cheaper than other materials. Despite this, the material comes with the promise of achieving the same mechanical properties as glass composites. The bio composite material has been developed by Alberta Innovates Technology Futures (AITF).

“Natural materials such as hemp can offer a green and sustainable alternative to conventional fibers used in composites,” added John Wolodko from AITF.

There are however no details available on what the car an actually do. Part of the Project Eve, a Canadian endeavor meant to boost production of electric vehicles and electric vehicle components in Canada, the car will enter prototype testing later this month.