Imagined The imagined carriage
A small deer pulls a carriage with a red-and-white toadstool roof and glowing windows. Here we imagine growing vehicles rather than building them.
Real world Real cars made from plants
In 1941 Henry Ford showed a car whose body panels were made from a plastic that used soybeans and other plant fibers. It never went into production, but the idea lasted.
Today many cars contain natural fibers such as flax, hemp and kenaf inside door panels and other parts. They are light, which saves energy, and they come from plants that can be grown again.
Possible future Grown materials
Researchers are testing materials grown from mycelium, the root-like threads of fungi, for packaging, insulation and leather-like fabrics. Growing whole vehicles is still science fiction.
Real world A giant underground
Fungi can grow to an amazing size. In Oregon's Malheur National Forest, a single honey fungus, nicknamed the "humongous fungus", spreads its threads underground across about 965 hectares, the size of more than 1,300 soccer fields. It may be one of the largest living things on Earth.
Art In this artwork
This illustration shows a carriage shaped like a toadstool with a red, spotted roof, pulled by a small deer.
Look closer
- Find the spots on the roof.
- Look for the glowing windows.
Think about it
- Which parts of a car could be made from plants?
- What would happen to a plant-based car at the end of its life?
- Is a lighter car always better?
Key words
- Natural fiber
- A fiber from a plant or animal, such as flax or wool.
- Composite
- A material made of two or more materials combined.
- Mycelium
- The root-like threads of fungi.
Sources
The real-world facts on this page are based on these sources:
- The Henry Ford museum, "Soybean Car" (1941)
- Research reviews on natural-fiber composites (flax, hemp and kenaf) in car parts
- Research reviews on mycelium-based composite materials
- US Forest Service and the Oregon Encyclopedia, "Humongous fungus" (Armillaria ostoyae), Malheur National Forest
