Water-powered cars coming closer to reality

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.