Vietnamese man creates e-car from bamboo

Vo Tan Tan, 38, the man who has previously wowed visitors to Hoi An City with his bamboo bikes, has now put his passion toward four-wheels, which he has also made mostly from the same material.

Testing his electric bamboo car on Cua Dai Bridge, Tan told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporters that he had been creating the vehicle for the past three months.

“The car is in its completion phase,” Tan said, explaining that he will install some accessories, lights, and external decorations.

The car features neatly nailed bamboo sticks, giving it a firm, but aesthetically pleasing look with precise curves at the rear.

Running completely on electricity, the vehicle outperforms many of its gasoline-fueled counterparts, according to many pilot passengers.

“Eighty percent of the car is made from bamboo,” the 38-year-old said, adding that he only used other materials for parts that are not replaceable with bamboo, as his ultimate goal in developing the car is to protect the environment.

Tan said his car can carry six adults and has a maximum speed of 30 kilometers per hour. When fully charged, it can travel from Hoi An City to Da Nang, a central resort city, about 50 kilometers away.

The engineer added that he is asking for permission from Hoi An authorities to transport visitors with the car to promote tourism as well as environmental protection.

His creation has attracted lots of attention from locals, including one resort manager who has placed an order for two bamboo cars.

Nguyen Van Dung, chairman of the Hoi An City People’s Committee, said that the municipal authority is planning a project that would see tourists carried by electric car.

Dung said that Tan’s idea is so innovative as his overall concept is to utilize enviro-friendly components to prevent the environment from being polluted.

“We [the committee] are totally in favor of Tan’s idea as long as the car meets travel safety requirements,” he said.