Have you ever imagined a car being made of spider silk? Well, now you can witness one such car racing on the roads. The Velozzi Hypercar, a limited-edition vehicle with only 100 units planned for production, is set to utilize one of nature’s most remarkable materials: spider silk. Notably, Spider silk is known to be nature’s toughest material. This innovative use of synthetic spider silk, produced by genetically modified alfalfa, aims to enhance the car’s construction, offering superior strength and toughness.
How will Spider Silk Be Used?
According to media reports, Spidey Tek, a biotech company affiliated with Utah State University, has commercialised the innovative process of extracting spider silk proteins from alfalfa leaves. Spidey Tek employs a non-polluting, eco-friendly technique to extract, purify, and convert these proteins into fibres. These fibres can then be integrated with other materials to significantly enhance their strength and toughness without adding extra weight.
Applications
In the Velozzi Hypercar, synthetic spider silk fibres will be combined with carbon fibre and used throughout the vehicle’s body and honeycomb-core monocoque chassis. This combination is expected to provide unprecedented levels of strength and durability, contributing to the car’s performance and longevity.
Velozzi Hypercar Specifications
According to the company, the Velozzi Hypercar will feature a custom high-revving naturally aspirated F1 V-12 engine, coupled with a 6-speed manual F1 transmission. This vehicle and its engine are being crafted in collaboration with a leading Formula 1 automotive brand and a top-tier Formula 1 engine manufacturer. Hypercar’s V-12 engine will comply with the stringent 2027 Euro 7 emissions standards, making it one of the final V-12 engine production to be available.