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Recover E – electronic waste car: 1:1 moving replica of a Formula E racing car

Project Year

2023

Client

Envision Racing

Formula E race car in a outdoor enviroment- which is a old hat factory setting and you can see the vintage building in the background. The twist is that this race car is made entirely from electronic waste. The front is made from iphones and vapes and is very colourful- blues, reds, yellows and greens. The middle section is electronic circuit boards and the back end, not in view, is mainly electronic wires. The front end is facing the bottom right hand side of the image. In conjunction with Envision Racing.

This project was commissioned with a clear vision to create a fully functional replica Gen 3 racing car solely from ewaste aka discarded electronic waste.

The challenge was simple yet immensely impactful – constructing an electric race car using only e-waste that would have otherwise ended up in landfills. Lazerian and Envision Racing’s commitment to sustainable practices resulted in an unprecedented endeavor that pushes the boundaries of innovation and environmental consciousness.

Driven by a shared passion for sustainability and technological advancement, the team at Lazerian, including creative lead Liam Hopkins, embarked on a journey that defies convention. Breaking away from traditional automotive materials, they harnessed the potential of discarded electronics to engineer a drivable Gen 3 race car – a testament to human creativity and resourcefulness. A moving ewaste car that was fully drivable and launched at the London e-prix.

The e-waste car which is an exact replica is not merely a project; it is a profound statement that challenges our preconceptions and redefines what is possible when innovation meets sustainability. This transformative initiative encourages us to envision a future where discarded electronic waste finds new life as the beating heart of cutting-edge mobility. Working alongside Envision Racing Lazerian has been involved in other sustainable projects such as creating a replica of a plastic race car and launching a global competition to get young people involved in the fight against ewaste

Created with discarded electronic waste

The journey began with a call to action, urging individuals and businesses to donate their electronic waste. Old smartphones, laptops, tablets, gaming consoles, and countless other electronic relics poured in, each with a unique story to tell. These once-treasured gadgets had outlived their original purpose, but little did they know that their next chapter would be far more thrilling.

Donations from Music Magpie including mobile phones and numerous other and Manchester University Society UOMSEI were gratefully received and contributed massively towards the completion of the ewaste race car.

In the workshop, every donated piece of e-waste was painstakingly dismantled, unveiling the intricate world of microchips, circuit boards, and wires that lay within. With every electronic device taken apart, the potential and beauty that lay beneath the surface was revealed. The vision was to capture this essence and give it new life in the form of a powerful race car.

From the chaos of disassembled electronic goods emerged the foundation of their creation – the chassis. The team meticulously selected and fused the metal frames of laptops, tablets, and gaming consoles to form the sturdy structure of the ewaste race car. These once individual pieces including mobile phones, now united, symbolized the harmony between technology and sustainability.

An image of electronic vapes being taken apart. To the bottom of the image are the cases of the vapes in pinks and different shades of greens. You can see a pair of hands sorting the batteries which have come from the vapes. They are being sorting to be recycled and beig used as part of a eco design project from Lazerian. In conjunction with Envision Racing
A large container full of electronic waste. It looks like a black pile of phone cameras that have been detached from the actual phones. As part of a eco waste project from Lazerian and Envision Racing where they created a replica race car made entirely from e-waste. In conjunction with Envision Racing
Assorted electric wires including phone chargers, computer console cables, and more, collected for Lazerian x Envision Racing's innovative eco-friendly race car project crafted from discarded electronic waste. In conjunction with Envision Racing. developing circular economies
A visual depiction of a substantial heap comprised of fractured and inoperable mobile phones iPhones, a significant proportion of which exist in an irreparable condition. This assemblage serves a dual purpose: raising poignant awareness about the alarming volume of electronic waste and underscoring the considerable quantity of electronics left unused and beyond restoration in our modern society. In conjunction with Envision Racing
Liam Hopkins, Head Creative of Lazerian, meticulously crafting the frame of a functional replica Formula E race car using exclusively recycled electronic waste materials aka e-waste. Captured within a dynamic workshop ambiance. In conjunction with Formula e team Envision Racing. Using all electronic waste donated by Music Magpie
Liam Hopkins, Lead Creative of Lazerian, skillfully crafting an aluminum framework for the base of a functional Formula E race car replica using upcycled e-waste materials. Workshop scene showcasing sustainable artistry. In conjunction with Envision Racing. British artist Liam Hopkins creating a masterpiece of art and sustainability - the Recover-e Race Car

The concept behind the design of the electronic waste racing car revolves around narrating the fascinating tale of disassembling electronic devices to reveal their inner workings, components, materials, and intrinsic beauty. The vehicle aims to convey a sense of speed, as if it is tearing away the layers of electronic goods to expose the hidden treasures lying beneath. This journey is depicted from the front to the rear of the car, symbolizing the process of exploration and discovery.

At the front of the racing car, the design incorporates the outer cases of electronic devices. The front spoiler is ingeniously crafted from phones that emit a guiding light for the car. Moving along the vehicle’s contours, laptops and tablets shape the nose, inviting us to explore the concealed underbelly of various devices, which are typically unseen. This exposes the intricate structures and textures within.

 

Sustainably Crafted Formula E Race Car Sculpture by Lazerian, Made from Electronic Waste like mobile phones, Illuminated Outside Lazerian Studio. In conjunction with Envision Racing- a racing formula e team
Eco-Friendly Art and Design Project by Lazerian: Workshop Progress on Repurposed Race Car Sculpture Made from E-Waste, Featuring Coral and Yellow iPhone Back Wing

The middle section of the racing car represents the circuit boards, essentially the brains of electronics. These boards form captivating mini city-like structures, seamlessly blending into the outer side skirts that gradually ascend to the consoles. Within these consoles, the envision logo is showcased, intriguingly composed of illuminated circuit boards and countless phone cameras arranged to spell out “envision.” Positioned at the center stage is a halo ingeniously fashioned from a VR headset, PlayStation rackets, and electronic console shotguns, with a 1950s radio acting as a radar.

Side view of Formula E e-waste race car- a replica of a electric race car. Made entirely from used electronic waste. A symbol of sustainable design. A project from Lazerian and Envision Racing.
Old transistor radio on top of circuit boards. On top of the e-waste race car (not in image)
Liam Hopkins and Aidan Gallagher- actor and environmentalist activist looking at the e-waste race car at the London E-Prix as part of the FIA Formula E final.
Close up shot of a electronic circuit board. Part of a eco-waste project by sustainable artist and designer Lazerian highlighting the electronic waste problem . The electric boards were made as part of a life size replica of a electric race car made entirely from electronic waste aka e-waste

As we progress toward the rear of the car, the electronic waste is further stripped back. The vehicle transitions from metal cases to smaller components such as internal induction chargers from mobile phones, LCD screens, and wires. This part of the design symbolizes the journey into the inner infrastructure of these discarded electronic pieces, revealing their true essence.

 

 

Back end view of a life size race car made entirely from electronic waste such as iphones, circuit boards, old phone chargers and LED lighting. Part of a sustainablity project to highlight the effects of electronic waste on our environment. Created by Lazerian and Envision Racing
Back end view of a art and design eco-project from Lazerian studio. It is a replica of a electric race car comissioned by Envision Racing and to raise awareness of the problems with electronic waste the race car is made entirely from collected and unuseable electric waste that would otherwise be in a landfill.

Through the clever use of lights, the design also suggests that the phones are still functional, emphasizing their power and potential even in their discarded state. The overarching idea is to progressively uncover the various layers of electronic goods, starting from the front, where the car represents intact devices, then revealing the circuit boards in the middle, and finally culminating in the rear, exposing the internal infrastructure of these e-waste pieces.

E-waste race car on display at the London ePrix at ExCeL London. Part of the FIA Formula E season 2022-2023. A comission from the world champions Envision Racing by arrtist Lazerian. Made entirely from electronic waste like mobile phones dnated by Music Magpie

The e-waste race car is a captivating fusion of art and engineering. Masterminded by Liam Hopkins, Lazerian, it’s not just a piece of art to admire; it’s fully drivable. During the Formula E World Championship Finals in London, in London’s Excel Exhibition centre, Aidan Gallagher took the wheel, showcasing its potential. The chassis, crafted from recycled electronic goods, provides stability, while the brushless direct drive motor and long-life battery propel it with electrifying speed. This eco-conscious creation is a powerful symbol of sustainability, proving that beauty and functionality can go hand-in-hand on the racetrack and beyond.

Actor and environmentalist Aidan Gallagher jumping out of the e-waste replica race car made from electronic waste by artist and designer Lazerian. On the track at the FIA Formula E season finale and London ePrix at ExCeL London
Aidan Gallagher- ambassador for electric race team Envision Racing and artist and designer Liam Hopkins of Lazerian standing on either side of the replica electric race car made using e-waste to promote and highlight the issues of electronic waste and recycling
Actor Aidan Gallagher at the London ePrix as an ambassador for Envision Racing- a electric race team. He is driving a specially created replica of a race car made entirely from electronuic waste. The car actually drives as well.
4 Envision workers rolling in the Formula E racing car made using e-waste. . Champions of Sustainability: Envision Team Proudly Presents Eco-Friendly Formula E Racing Car Crafted from E-Waste, Rolling into the Limelight at FIA Formula E Finale, London ePrix, Excel London. Also filmed for Blue Peter
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