News Environment Sleek Bamboo Concept Car Is Woven, Not Factory-Made By Kimberley Mok Kimberley Mok Twitter Writer McGill University Cornell University Kimberley Mok is a former architect who has been covering architecture and the arts for Treehugger since 2007. Learn about our editorial process Updated October 11, 2018 This story is part of Treehugger's news archive. Learn more about our news archiving process or read our latest news. Share Twitter Pinterest Email ©. Kenneth Cobonpue News Environment Business & Policy Science Animals Home & Design Current Events Treehugger Voices News Archive © Kenneth Cobonpue With bamboo popping up everywhere in product design, and even in vehicles like bicycles and electric scooters, it was only a matter of time before cars got the same treatment. We've seen some not-so-successful bamboo car designs, but this streamlined bamboo-made concept car by Filipino designer Kenneth Cobonpue and German product designer Albercht Birkner is one that actually looks pretty convincing, even if there are still some kinks to work out. © Kenneth CobonpueMade with bamboo, rattan, steel and nylon by craftsmen over a period of ten days, the Phoenix Bamboo Car is designed to be primarily biodegradable, and cheaper to produce and refurbish than conventional cars. Says Cobonpue: This project attempts to unveil the future of green vehicles using woven skins from organic fibers mated to composite materials and powered by green technology. Not only that, the prototype strikes at the heart of the idea that modern automotive design has to be based on an industrial means of production. Like the concept "Ajiro" bamboo bike that's farmed, not factory-made, one can imagine that the bamboo material for the Phoenix could be likewise grown and harvested locally. In the aesthetics department, the car biomimics the fluid shape of a leaf. Measuring 153 inches long, the sides of the shell are woven to meet at the tail-end of the leaf's 'stem.' The lifespan of the shell is designed for at least a five-year cycle -- the average time that a person keeps a car before replacing it. © Kenneth Cobonpue It's a beautiful concept, but practical issues like road safety, how it's going to be powered (electric?), how much of the car will actually biodegrade, and how it's going to be distributed and recycled on a larger scale, would ultimately need to be addressed in the event that the idea does takes off.