That was only a study though, one meant to show that a properly balance chocolate mixture can propel a potato open-wheeler from naught to sixty in 2.5 seconds. We must admit we have no idea what happened to the car; they probably ate it.
Not the same can be said about the way in which Brazilians see the car of the future. Or, at least, some of them. How many of you knew that the fruits of delight, bananas and pineapples, contain fibers that are as strong as Kevlar?
We didn't, but apparently Alcides Leao, the man who led a study into the matter, knows. He says that the nano-cellulose fibers in these fruits can and will probably be successfully used in manufacturing nano-cellulose reinforced plastics for cars. The advantages of using bananas over regular plastic, the study predicts, are huge: greater resistance to damage (from heat, gasoline, water, oxygen), less weight, eco-friendly.
What is a nano-cellulose fiber, you ask? Well, it's pretty much the same fiber you find in paper, for instance, only processed in such a way that it becomes... nano. Super nano...
"So far, we're focusing on replacing automotive plastics," said Leao according to Pure Green Cars. "But in the future, we may be able to replace steel and aluminum automotive parts using these plant-based nanocellulose materials."
The researchers didn't go into details about, for example, how many bananas you need to make a dashboard. We hope not many...
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