AssetID: 53020486
Headline: Replica Racing Car Built Entirely Out Of E-Waste
Caption: **RAW VIDEO** A spectacular replica racing car that even moves has been constructed entirely from discarded electronic waste, including iPhones, vapes, a fly swatter, and a 1950s radio. It has been unveiled by Manchester-based design studio Lazerian. This innovative project, named Recover-E, was commissioned by Formula E team Envision Racing to draw attention to the growing issue of electronic waste (e-waste) and promote sustainability. Recover-E boasts a modified drivetrain adapted from a beach buggy, enabling it to operate at slow speeds. Everyday objects are ingeniously incorporated throughout the car's design, underscoring the diversity of e-waste. Notable features include a driver halo crafted from Nintendo Wii controllers, a Sony VR headset, and even an electric fly swatter. The brake light is replaced with a pricing gun, while a 1950s radio serves as the radar antenna atop the vehicle. The project aims to highlight the alarming projection that the world's annual output of e-waste will reach a staggering 75 million tonnes by 2030. The World Health Organization has raised concerns about the potential health implications for children due to this escalating issue. All the items used in the creation of Recover-E were donated by Manchester schoolchildren and contributed by the local tech trade-in company, Music Magpie, which deemed them unrepairable. Artist and designer Liam Hopkins, the mastermind behind Recover-E, meticulously sorted the e-waste into various materials, textures, and colours to determine where each item should be placed within the car. His goal was to convey the idea of the vehicle gradually disintegrating from the front to the back, revealing the inner workings of discarded electronic devices. The car's nose and front spoilers prominently display mobile phones, their outer casings exposed. A string of LEDs beneath the devices gives the illusion that they are still in use. Recently discarded disposable vapes were also incorporated into the car, also make up a significant portion of its components. In the UK alone, an estimated 1.3 million of these electric nicotine products are discarded weekly. Hopkins sees single-use vapes, with their rechargeable lithium batteries left unrecharged, as emblematic of society's problematic relationship with electronic goods. Hopkins has previously explored the creative reuse of waste materials in various projects, including a collaboration with Envision Racing to construct a non-drivable replica Formula E car from plastic waste, Recover-E marks his first dedicated venture into the realm of e-waste. The Recover-E was unveiled on the eve of the London e-prix at the ExCel center in late July. It will be showcased at several events, including the global climate summit COP28, before being disassembled for recycling. Formula E is the world's first net-zero global sport, according to an assessment by sustainability consultancy Quantis.
Keywords: e-waste,race car,cars,art,design,motoring,feature,photo,video,iphones
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