Fuel Cell Car Could Be Powered by Water

Platinum Today
August 4, 2006

A project is underway that aims to create a fuel cell-powered car that generates hydrogen fuel from a tank of water.

Scientists from the University of Minnesota and Israel's Weizmann Institute of Science are pioneering the technique.

According to New Scientist magazine, the experts have discovered that by reacting the element boron with water to produce hydrogen, the gas can be used to power an internal combustion engine or to generate electricity via a fuel cell.

Its developers believe that the abundance of hydrogen in water could make it a viable alternative to fossil fuels and the green power source of choice, since traditional hydrogen production is inefficient and expensive.

A boron and water-powered engine would not produce any harmful emissions. The only by-product of the process is boron oxide, which can simply be turned back into boron.

And to produce the same amount of energy as a 40-litre tank of petrol, the new vehicle would only require 45 litres of water and 18 kilograms of boron.

An Israeli firm is already pioneering a prototype engine and a Japanese company has already manufactured a scooter testing a similar concept.

The New Scientist reported that a functioning prototype is expected by 2009.