Eco Factor: Low-emission vehicle made using sustainable materials.
Purdue University mechanical engineering students have designed and built a multipurpose vehicle made primarily from wood and will travel to Africa this month to help officials there set up a manufacturing facility for the trucks, which could help to transport everything from produce to people.
The Basic Utility Vehicle, or BUV, is produced from raw materials readily and affordably available in Africa and is designed specifically to meet the needs of villagers. The students will travel to Cameroon, Africa, on Monday (May 10) to aid in setting up a manufacturing facility in a northern village near a forest.
The BUV’s body and much of the frame are built of pine, but the design can easily be adapted to African hardwoods like mahogany or eucalyptus. It could be used for many purposes – such as hauling crops, water, building materials, students or the infirm – in areas where no other transportation exists.
The three-wheel BUV is about the size of a 1980s Toyota pickup and incorporates some parts, such as the rear axle, from pickup trucks. Powered by a 10-horsepower diesel engine easily available in Africa, the BUV has a top speed of about 20 mph and achieves about 40 miles per gallon.
The all-terrain vehicle, outfitted with knobby tractor tires, can travel on small roads or cross-country and can carry at least eight passengers and up to 1,200 pounds. The students built the vehicle for about $2,000.
Via: Purdue University [Press Release]
