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VOICE ONE:
Researchers in Britain are driving the environmental movement to a whole new level. A team from the University of Warwick has built what it calls the world's first completely environmentally friendly Formula Three racing car.
The car is made mainly of sustainable and renewable materials, like plants and vegetables. The structure around the car is made from natural plant fibers and potatoes. The steering wheel is made from root vegetables like carrots. The engine uses biofuel made from vegetable oil and waste chocolate.
VOICE TWO:
The new race car is extremely fast. The car has a top speed of two hundred fifteen kilometers an hour. And it can go from zero to ninety-five kilometers an hour in just two and one half seconds. The race car meets all of the Formula Three racing requirements except for its biodiesel engine.
The car resulted from the efforts of the University of Warwick's Manufacturing Group and the Warwick Innovative Manufacturing Research Center. They developed the car because of criticism of the racing industry.
VOICE ONE:
Automobile racing is one of the most widely watched sports in the world. But it also is considered one of the least friendly to the environment. Race cars burn a lot of fuel, and create a lot of air pollution.
In recent years, the racing industry has taken steps to protect the environment. More racing companies are now producing cars that use less energy. These cars produce less pollution than vehicles that depend on traditional fuels, like gasoline.
VOICE TWO:
Last year, two American government agencies and an international organization announced a number of policies for environmentally-friendly racing. They are known as the Green Racing Protocols.
The two agencies are the United States Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency. The organization SAE International represents engineers and technical experts in the transportation industry. Officials from the American Le Mans Series also were involved in the effort.
The American Le Mans Series became the first racing event to use the protocols in its Green Challenge competition. The race was held in October of last year.
VOICE ONE:
Last month, the WorldFirst Formula Three racing car was set to run in its first competitive race at the Formula Three Championship Final at Brands Hatch. It would have been the first biodiesel-powered car to race at Formula Three.
Current Formula Three rules let only gasoline-powered cars compete. Officials needed permission from all of the other Formula Three racers for the biodiesel WorldFirst car to compete. They were unable to contact one of the drivers, so the WorldFirst car was barred from the event.
In test runs, the WorldFirst car was the fifth fastest among Formula Three race cars. Supporters are hoping to have the fuel issue resolved in time to compete next season.