2022 TU Ecomotive Zem

Students from Eindhoven University of Technology develop passenger car that captures more CO₂ than it emits while driving

Student team TU/ecomotive from the Eindhoven University of Technology has developed a sustainable, electric car that captures more carbon dioxide (CO₂) than it emits while driving. It concerns a prototype, called Zem, that purifies the air through a special filter. By storing the captured CO₂ and then disposing it, Zem contributes to reducing global warming. The students will continue to improve the vehicle in the coming years, with the aim of eventually making the entire life cycle of the car CO₂-neutral and ready to hit the road.

The transport sector is a major polluter, producing about a quarter of the EU's total CO2 emissions a few years ago. Passenger cars are responsible for more than 60 percent of these emissions. To reduce these emissions, 35 students designed, developed and built a car that produces fewer or even no emissions both during the production process and on the road. In addition, the team strives for optimal reusability of materials in the future.

Big scale

Using a special filter, the car can capture 2 kilograms of CO₂ per year when 20,000 kilometres have been traveled. This means that ten cars can capture as much carbon dioxide as an average tree. That may not seem like much, but the total yield is significant if you were to use it on a large scale with implementing it in every passenger car, the team says. After all, there are more than a billion passenger cars on the planet, which can capture CO₂ instead of emitting it while driving.

The filter through which the air flows is unique: the students are in the process of applying for a patent. “It is really still a proof-of-concept, but we already see that we can increase the capacity of the filter in the coming years. Capturing CO₂ is needed if you want to compensate for emissions during production and recycling,” explains team manager Louise de Laat. TU/ecomotive is thinking of a future in which the saturated filter can easily be emptied via the charging station. This can be done while charging the car. The car can currently drive 320 kilometres before the filter is full.

CO₂ neutral

Through a life cycle analysis made with the help of software from SimaPro, it can be determined to what extent the life cycle of the vehicle – building, use and afterlife – is CO₂ neutral. Several innovations contribute to this goal. Think of the 3D printing techniques that the students use. The monocoque and the body panels, among other things, are manufactured using 3D printing, so that almost no waste is created. In addition, the student team prints with circular plastics that can be shredded and reused for other purposes.

The electric and sustainable car has a sporty appearance. With good reason, the students say, because a sporty challenge awaits the car industry. After all, road transport must become considerably more sustainable. Nikki Okkels, external relations manager at TU/ecomotive: “We want to inspire the industry by showing what is already possible. And work together. If 35 students can design, develop and build an almost CO2-neutral car within a year, then there are also enormous opportunities and possibilities for the industry.”

Okkels: “We call for the industry to pick up the innovations, and we are of course happy to think along with them. We have not yet finished developing ourselves and want to take significant steps in the coming years. We gladly invite car manufacturers to come and have a look.”