Dutch students have created the world's first biodegradable car. Named Lina, it is a four-seater electrical car. Apart from wheels, batteries and suspension systems, Lina is built of bio-based composites, extending the design of environmentally-friendly vehicles to the manufacturing stage.

Lina's body shell is made of woven flax and resin processed from sugar beets. These materials are pressed into a smooth sheet by heating and the strength of the sheet is comparable to fibreglass. The body panel contains a honeycomb structure produced from bio-plastic and resin made from sugar beets, which is placed between two flax composite sheets. This car is manufactured in a more sustainable manner and is capable of decomposing in the natural environment, thereby reducing urban solid waste.

Lina has a top speed of 80km per hour. It is more efficient than the traditional vehicle with its light weight of 310 kilograms. It can drive for 100 kilometres before it needs to be recharged.

As the organic material cannot be bent like metal but breaks, Lina has not yet passed any crash tests. The team will test to drive Lina later this year, hoping to contribute to sustainable vehicle technologies.