HOLISTIC WAY OF HEMP

Lotus has created a concept car that takes a different, some might say
more worthy, approach on the idea of a "green" car.

The Eco Elise has been designed with a holistic philosophy that does
not rely solely on exhaust emissions, says the car maker.

Sustainable materials - hemp, eco wool and sisal - have been developed
for body panels and trim, as well as water-based paint solutions to
showcase new green technologies.

A green gearchange display has been integrated into the dashboard and
weight has been reduced by 32kg.

Solar panels have been set into the hemp hard top to help power the
electrical systems and give a means of renewable energy generation.

Lotus says the energy expended to manufacture the car has been
evaluated, working to the 3Rs - reduce, reuse and recycle.

Dramatic improvements to the culture and operations at Lotus have
resulted in energy saving already.

For this year, electricity use has been reduced by 14 per cent, gas by
30 per cent and water by 11 per cent, compared with 2006.

Fifty-seven per cent of waste product is now being
recycled.

The emphasis for the Eco Elise is on natural, biodegradable
engineering materials. Hemp technical fabrics make up the primary
constituent in the composite body panels and the spoiler. With the use
of locally farmed hemp, the carbon miles to produce the Eco Elise are
reduced.

The seats are upholstered in a biodegradable woollen fabric that has
been given the EU Flower certificate.

The Flower scheme, which has been designed and is overseen by the
European Commission, sets out specific ecological criteria that
products must comply with to be certified as environmentally friendly.

The award of the label is independently verified and endorsed by the
EU as a recognised environmental quality mark.

This new material does not use any dyes or harmful processes. The
colour is created from the selection of sheep breeds used to produce
the wool for the yarn.

Sisal, another renewable crop, has been used for the carpets in the
Eco Elise, because it is a tough and abrasion-resistant material.