The evolution of technology brought along with it diversified methods to fuel machines, most of which can be used as substitutes to the mainstream fossil fuel and one such innovation is the water-fueled car. As the collective human conscience grows and acknowledges that a healthy environment is the most precious resource, so does the need for “greener” methods of transportation.
The water-fueled car is part of this new stream of green-tech and has made several appearances. The idea is that the car will derive the energy it needs straight from the water, and nothing more than it. Such an innovation will not go unpunished though. A water-powered engine has the capability of rendering the fossil fuel industry obsolete and can basically destroy a huge market sector that is worth trillions of dollars each year.
Such a water-fueled car made the stage in Japan in 2008, namely in Osaka. The Japanese company which unveiled the concept, Genepax, said that any kind of water can be used to fuel the machine, from bottled to river water or even tap water. The bad news for the company came one year after unveiling their device, when it shut down. Most likely a lack of financial resources lead to the downfall and the development of the water-fueled car came to a halt.
The patent for the water-fueled car is available from the Industrial Property Digital Library in Japan. This institution holds more than 60 million documents and any concrete information related to them since the dawn of the 19th century.
The functioning principle for the water-fueled car is not a complicated concept to grasp. A power generator divides the water molecules and the resulting hydrogen is used to power up the machine. Splitting Hydrogen from Oxygen requires the use of a membrane electrode assembly (MEA). The resulting chemical reaction between the water and the MEA splits the water molecule into Hydrogen and Oxygen.
The water-fueled car is not of the science fiction domain, but has recently become science fact. Even though the image of this car has not been properly addressed and has not received such wide attention, hopes are high for the future as more and more people become aware of the pressing need to halt environment degradation. The water-fueled car is just one of the many innovations out there that can get us going down the “green-brick road”.