China keeps coming up with some incredible designs, and with solid technology behind them. Well, maybe they’re not exactly world leaders or trend setters when it comes to design, but then again that should not come first when talking about taking care of the environment…or diminishing petrol reserves. So we get (it’s pretty self-explanatory) what zero-emission cars, like the Nissan Leaf (word’s best EV vehicle) , but what’s that, negative-emission? Read on to find out. Designed by Chinese partner of General Motors, Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC), this car looks SF and has skills that could fit in the same genre, in a positive way. Meet the YeZ, named so from a metamorphosis of the Mandarin name for “Leaf”. Go figure..
The YeZ, world's first negative-emission car, via China researchers upper view, wow it really looks like a leaf
The “negative carbon emissions” vehicle features an all-electric drive-train that draws the bulk of its power from photoelectric converter mounted on the yez…uh, roof of the vehicle. Similar to the way a plant grows towards the light, the solar crystal films that make up the system can track the movement of the sun to maximize solar energy collection. Illuminated power lines that mimic the veins of a living organism carry the electricity to the battery of the vehicle via streams of light. Additional electricity is generated by small windmills mounted on each of the wheels.
What takes the car to the new levels of environmental friendliness, however, is a body comprised of metal-organic framework materials, or MOFs, that capture water and carbon dioxide from the surrounding air through adsorption, and combine the two through a process of artificial photosynthesis that not only generates electricity, but also creates air conditioning refrigerant and “exhales” oxygen back into the atmosphere. Hence, “negative carbon emissions”.
The YeZ, world's first negative-emission car, via China researchers
So my car could work on nothign but solar and wind energy, for ever and ever, and while I’m driving around (probably not at 120 mph, but still …) and rockin’ to my solar powered speaker system I’m also cleaning the atmosphere?! Yes, the technology behind the YeZ is theoretically sound and the team behind the concept assures us it could work, especially if the Chinese government continues to invest in research (nota bene United States Gov, and Dear President Obama who just cut half of NASA’s funds).
But don’t rush to contact dealers, this YeZ car or similar ones will only start being made as of 2030 or the sort, as SACS admits. So long life and strong health to you, as a Chinese greeting goes, and let’s hope we’ll take our first retirement trip in negative-emission “cleaners” such as the YeZ car. This Chinese Leaf (or Tree, cause it’s more than the Leaf in many ways) can be seen in this year’s Shanghai 2010 Expo. And in the gallery below, thanks to Fox News.
[ PHOTO GALLERY: The YeZ, world's first negative-emission car, via China researchers ]:
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