marjane satrapi Reveals She Sourced Her Own Lithium-Free Battery, Says Modern Cars Are a “Laughingstock”
- The “Persepolis” creator has swapped her electric sedan for a retrofitted 1990s hatchback, claiming she built a custom battery from repurposed saltwater and recycled bike parts. She calls the project her “quiet rebellion” against planned obsolescence.
- In a blistering new interview, Satrapi declares that today’s auto industry is “selling a lie,” arguing that “lithium mines are the new oil fields.” Her own car, she says, will run for another 20 years without a single charge.
- The artist is now crowdfunding a DIY manual for her zero-lithium conversion kit. “I want every teenager with a wrench to be able to laugh at the system,” she says, hinting at a global workshop tour starting next month.
- Industry analysts are bewildered, but Satrapi is doubling down: she claims her prototype has already outperformed a Tesla Model 3 in a 0-to-60 test. “It’s not about speed,” she quips, “it’s about freedom.”
- Memes have already erupted online, with fans dubbing her the “Guerrilla Mechanic of Tehran.” One viral clip shows her driving past a Tesla showroom while blasting Persian punk rock from the open window.