Super car made out of fruit fibres
In what promises to be the ultimate green development, researchers in Brazil are using plant fibres to build a new generation of car bodies as well as engine parts.
The plastics, which are strengthened by the fruit fibres, are already being tested by manufacturers who believe they could be used in cars within two years, the Daily Mail reports.
Alcides Leao from Sao Paulo State University said reinforcing plastic with microscopic fibres from delicate fruits such as pineapples and bananas made them super-strong.
"The properties of these plastics are incredible," he told the American Chemical Society in Anaheim, California.
"They are light, but very strong - 30 percent lighter and three to four times stronger than regular plastic. We believe that a lot of car parts, including dashboards, bumpers and side panels, will be made of nano-sized fruit fibres in the future