|
|
Water-powered cars coming closer to reality
publication date: Jan 7, 2010
A new project that could make water powered vehicles
a practical reality moved closer as clean technology provider Ultra
Green, announced a new deal to provide funding for the Electro Hydrogen
Generator (EHG) technology.
The new EHG technology, the brain child of OM Energy Ltd, converts waste energy in an engine’s exhaust to extract hydrogen from ordinary water. The hydrogen is then used with a conventional fuel to power a combustion engine.
The technology works by mixing hydrogen and conventional fuels. There
is no tank for the hydrogen which stops being produced when the engine
is switched off. The current design is set to run on 80% conventional
fuel and 20% hydrogen providing a large increase in fuel burning
efficiency. | The new partnership between OM Energy and Ultra Green
will facilitate the development of a retrofit solution that can be
introduced into existing vehicles and a product for manufacturers to
incorporate into new engine designs. Anticipated emission reductions
are approximately 30% and fuel efficiency increases of up to 20%.
Since 2005, the scheme has progressed with the support of UK Trade and
Investment’s Global Entrepreneur Programme. The new venture is to be
branded “Ultra Green OM”.
“We have a number of practical engineering challenges in
front of us”, Ultra Green Chairman Antony Blakey says, “but with the
completion of the EHG retro-fitted into a small 1.6 litre 4 x 4 and a
large 12 litre military vehicle later this year, we will have proved
the key elements are possible”. | |  | Ultra Green Chairman, Tony Blakey, added, “The EHG
technology is one which will benefit many markets, cutting fuel use in
private and public transport, generators and industrial engines.
Initially we are targeting private and public vehicle industries to
develop a solution to help them and the industry’s fuel providers meet
the stringent new EU and US CAFE emission and fuel efficiency
requirements due for implementation in 2013.
“However, we foresee ‘on demand’ Electro Hydrogen Generation as the
obvious interim step before pure Hydrogen fuel becomes readily
available on the forecourt.
“The collaboration between OM and Ultra Green is well positioned to
develop solutions with new units on show in the Spring of 2010.”
Estimates suggest the technology would add about £800 to the price of a car but pay for itself in three years with savings. | | | | |
Download the Wheels Within Wales toolbar for your quickest way to keep in touch with everything that's happening on Welsh roads and in showrooms or use our RSS feed for the headlines you will not want to miss
|
|
|
.gif){kind=small}