H2O cars, or cars that use water as their singular fuel source, are still a myth. As of yet, there is no real car that truly runs on water. That being said, there has been some work done to create a car that can use the different elements of water (hydrogen and oxygen) to create enough energy to run a car. There is also work being done on trying to invent a way for water to supplement a car's gasoline supply and stretch it out.
Development of a water fuel cell (to be used in the H2O cars, of course) has yet to take place though there are people working on the science behind it. You see, for the water fuel cell to work the way scientists want it to, it would need to be a perpetual motion machine. The cell would break down each water molecule into its two components, hydrogen and oxygen. In order to do this effectively, there must be less energy exerted in the breaking apart of the water molecule than can be gained in the combustion of the individual elements. Unfortunately because of the way water is structured, the first rule of thermodynamics proves this to be impossible.
The theory of how a car can run on water is explained in the process of electrolyzing water. Here is how it works. A battery passes a current of electricity through the water tank which would separate the water into two diatomic molecules of elements, namely H2 and O2. This is already done today in industsrial situations in which hydrogen is needed. Two metal plates are connected to an electrical source of power which turns them into electrodes. These electrodes are put into the water. Hydrogen will appear at the negatively charged electrode and oxygen will appear at the positively charged electrode.
In H20 cars, the hydrogen would then then be burned and its combustion would provide the energy to power the car-as most cars use combustible engines (diesel engines are not combustible). It is thought that the water fuel cell would be able to provide "fuel" that is at least twice as powerful as regular gasoline. Technically, though, in this situation, it is the hydrogen that is powering the car, not the water itself.
To date, there is no such thing as H2O cars. Each time somebody has claimed to have invented one, they are later proved guilty of fraud. The most famous case of this is Stanley Meyer who claimed that he could drive his car for one hundred miles using only four ounces of water. Stanley Meyer was convicted of fraud in 1996. To date, the people who tell you they can built you a car that runs on water are more likely to be out to steal your money than to be trying to save it from the gasoline companies.
Perhaps someday there will be such a things as H2O cars. It certainly would be nice for both the environment and the pocket book.
Cars That Run on Water Tip #1
No matter what anybody tells you, there is not yet a water powered car in production. That is an urban myth that reached its peak with Stanley Meyer who claimed that he drove one hundred miles using only four ounces of water (he was later convicted of fraud). The water powered engine hasn't even been invented yet. Scientists are still trying to figure out if it is even possible. |
Cars That Run on Water Tip #2
Many major car manufacturers are embracing the idea of the hydrogen car. BMW hopes to release a hydrogen car to the public by 2008 (or 2010 at the latest) and other manufacturers like Toyota are also making plans to release hydrogen car lines. Of course the debate over using hydrogen in cars is still raging and nothing has been settled yet. |
Cars That Run on Water Tip #3
While both a water based engine and a hydrogen engine will do wonders for fuel emissions and the environment, one of the major reasons people want them is to improve their fuel mileage. Of course, gas mileage can be improved right now. You can improve your gas mileage drastically just by driving sensibly and making sure your car is maintained properly. |
