SURREY, England The creator of the Kumho Epoch, an eco-friendly racer, said he designed the car as the answer to Le Mans racing, which he calls "an increasingly antisocial pastime."
The Epoch does come a step closer to guilt-free motorsports. The single-seater has a chassis made from bamboo, which, according to the tiremaker, provides "an immediate carbon offset." Body panels are made from recycled tire tread rubber. The cabin gets scented "aroma" rubber, which Kumho is already offering to customers who prefer the tires on their SUVs to spew lavender fragrance instead of burning rubber.
Epoch also has some intriguing tire technology called Electro Active Polymer. This technology allows the tread and the shape of the tires "to be fundamentally altered simply by passing an electric current through the rubber," Kumho said. "This is achieved via the positioning of magnets on the hubs and within the wheel rims. It effectively allows the characteristics of the tire to be altered at will, to suit different tastes and conditions."
The Epoch is powered by magnetic levitation, or "maglev," which is used in the railway industry. Kumho says the advantage here is "zero friction as well as maximum torque at zero rpm."
Rob Dolton, the creator of the Epoch, explains the philosophy behind his green racer by noting: "Environmental pressures will not allow motorsport to carry on its current form indefinitely. However, rather than viewing it as an increasing antisocial pastime, we regard it as a perfect platform for developing green technology solutions."
|
