TU/ecomotive Unveils VENTRA Electric Car That Captures Its Own Tire Dust
The eleventh concept vehicle from TU/ecomotive at Eindhoven University of Technology, named VENTRA, is an electric car engineered to collect particles from tires and brakes. It is equipped with striking orange wheel covers that contain T.R.A.C.E., an electrostatic system designed to trap airborne particulate matter. According to simulations, VENTRA can capture approximately 24% of tire particles while traveling at speeds between 31-50 mph and up to 42% during urban driving. The gathered material can be extracted using water or a vacuum and repurposed as an enamel coating within the cabin. Weighing 790 kg, this prototype, developed in Eindhoven, Netherlands, in 2026, features a lightweight chassis and boasts an estimated WLTP range of 290 km.
Key facts
- VENTRA is the eleventh concept car from TU/ecomotive, a student team at Eindhoven University of Technology.
- The car uses T.R.A.C.E., an electrostatic system housed in orange wheel covers, to capture tire and brake particles.
- Simulations show capture rates of about 24 percent at 31–50 mph and 42 percent in city driving.
- Collected particulate matter can be removed with water or a vacuum and has been used in an enamel coating inside the cabin.
- The chassis weighs approximately 135 kilograms, compared to 230 kilograms for conventional construction, using carbon-fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite sandwich panels.
- The finished car weighs 790 kilograms and has an estimated WLTP range of 290 kilometers (180 miles).
- A dashboard system called Clean Drive gives feedback on steering, braking, and acceleration to reduce tire and brake wear.
- European Euro 7 regulations introduce requirements for brake-particle emissions and tire abrasion.
Entities
Artists
- Sarp Gürel
Institutions
- Eindhoven University of Technology
- TU/ecomotive
- designboom
Locations
- Eindhoven
- Netherlands