Mercedes Mullins
The idea of a water-fuelled car has captured the public imagination for decades, with numerous international patents, news articles, and magazine features on the topic. However, the concept of a car that runs solely on water remains a pipe dream. Water-fuelled cars rely on electrolysis to separate water into hydrogen and oxygen, which are then recombined to release energy. But this process requires more energy input than can be extracted, making it impractical as a propulsion system. While hydrogen fuel cells show promise as a clean energy alternative, they face challenges in terms of production, distribution, and handling. Despite the challenges, the search for alternative propulsion systems to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels continues.
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What You'll Learn
Hydrogen-powered cars
Although water cannot be used directly to fuel cars, hydrogen, a constituent element of water, can be used as fuel. Hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles (HFCVs) use an electric motor to turn the wheels, powered by a fuel-cell stack in which hydrogen combines with oxygen from the air to produce electricity, as well as water vapour. This makes hydrogen a clean" fuel, as its only by-product is water.
The process of extracting hydrogen from water, however, requires more energy input than can be derived from the hydrogen produced. Hydrogen fuel cells also face the challenge of requiring a steady power output, while the power demands of a car can vary by an order of magnitude. Additionally, the current high cost of producing hydrogen makes hydrogen fuel cells infeasible.
Despite these challenges, hydrogen-powered cars are seen as promising, particularly as they do not rely on fossil fuels. As of mid-2022, there were around 17,000 hydrogen-powered vehicles on US roads, all of them in California, the only state with a network of hydrogen fuelling stations. Examples of hydrogen-powered cars include the Honda Clarity Fuel Cell, the Hyundai Nexo SUV, and the Toyota Mirai.
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Electrolysis and energy input
Electrolysis is a process that involves using electricity to break water down into hydrogen and oxygen. It was discovered by William Nicholson and Anthony Carlisle in 1800, although an electrostatic generator was unknowingly used to perform electrolysis by Dutch scientist Martin van Marum in 1785.
In the electrolysis of water, a DC electrical power source is connected to two electrodes or plates, typically made from an inert metal such as platinum or iridium, that are placed in the water. Hydrogen appears at the cathode, and oxygen at the anode. The amount of hydrogen generated is twice the amount of oxygen, and both are proportional to the total electrical charge conducted by the solution. The energy efficiency of water electrolysis varies widely, with some reports quoting efficiencies between 50% and 70% for alkaline electrolysers, and higher practical efficiencies available with the use of polymer electrolyte membrane electrolysis and catalytic technology, such as 95% efficiency.
The first law of thermodynamics guarantees that the energy required to separate the elements of water will always be equal to the amount of energy released, so this cannot be used to produce net energy. The second law of thermodynamics further states that the amount of useful energy released this way is necessarily less than the amount of energy input. This is because the energy obtained from the hydrogen cannot all be used to electrolyze water again, as some of it has been used to power the car.
Electrolysis is not the only way to manufacture hydrogen, which is a promising propulsion system in automotive applications. Other methods include steam methane reforming, which is the largest source of hydrogen suitable for use in fuel cells, and the reaction of methane with steam.
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Water-fuelled car scams
Water-fuelled cars have been the subject of numerous international patents, newspaper and popular science magazine articles, local television news coverage, and websites. The claims for these devices have been found to be pseudoscience and some were found to be tied to investment frauds.
In 1935, Charles H. Garrett allegedly demonstrated a water-fuelled car "for several minutes". The car generated hydrogen by electrolysis. Garrett's patent includes drawings that show a carburetor similar to an ordinary float-type carburetor but with electrolysis plates in the lower portion, and where the float is used to maintain the water level. However, Garrett's patent fails to identify a new source of energy.
In 1980, Stanley Meyer claimed that he had built a dune buggy that ran on water, although he gave inconsistent explanations as to its mode of operation. In some cases, he claimed that he had replaced the spark plugs with a "water splitter", while in other cases it was claimed to rely on a "fuel cell" that split the water into hydrogen and oxygen.
In 2002, Genesis World Energy announced a market-ready device that would extract energy from water by separating the hydrogen and oxygen and then recombining them. In 2003, the company announced that this technology had been adapted to power automobiles. The company collected over $2.5 million from investors, but none of their devices were ever brought to market. In 2006, Patrick Kelly, the owner of Genesis World Energy, was sentenced in New Jersey to five years in prison for theft and ordered to pay $400,000 in restitution.
In June 2008, Japanese company Genepax unveiled a car it claimed ran on only water and air, and many news outlets dubbed the vehicle a "water-fuel car". The company said it "cannot [reveal] the core part of this invention" but disclosed that the system used an onboard energy generator, which it called a "membrane electrode assembly", to extract the hydrogen using a "mechanism that is similar to the method in which hydrogen is produced by a reaction of metal hydride and water". The hydrogen was then used to generate energy to run the car. This led to speculation that the metal hydride is consumed in the process and is the ultimate source of the car's energy, making it a hydride-fuelled "hydrogen on demand" vehicle rather than water-fuelled as claimed. The science and technology magazine Popular Mechanics described Genepax's claims as "rubbish".
According to the currently accepted laws of physics, there is no way to extract chemical energy from water alone. Water itself is highly stable and contains very strong chemical bonds. Its enthalpy of formation is negative (−68.3 kcal/mol or −285.8 kJ/mol), meaning that energy is required to break those stable bonds and separate water into its elements. The first law of thermodynamics guarantees that the energy required to separate the elements will always be equal to the amount of energy released, so this cannot be used to produce net energy. The second law of thermodynamics further states that the amount of useful energy released this way is necessarily less than the amount of energy input.
While it is not possible to run a car exclusively on water, some companies are marketing techniques to increase fuel efficiency, making it hydrogen fuel enhancement rather than a water-fuelled car. Hydrogen fuel enhancement involves burning a mixture of hydrogen and conventional hydrocarbon fuel in an internal combustion engine, usually in an attempt to improve fuel economy or reduce emissions.
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Steam-powered engines
The first experimental steam-powered cars were built in the 18th and 19th centuries, but it was not until Richard Trevithick developed the use of high-pressure steam around 1800 that mobile steam engines became a practical proposition. By the 1850s, there was a flurry of new steam car manufacturers. Steam-powered cars were popular with early buyers as they were safe, reliable, and familiar. People had experience with steam power in trains and boats, and even in experimental road vehicles.
However, early steam cars required constant care and attention and could take up to 30 minutes to start. Automated quick-firing boilers solved these problems, but not before more efficient gasoline engines dominated the market and made steam cars obsolete. The development of steam-powered vehicles was also hampered by adverse legislation and the rapid development of internal combustion engine technology in the 1900s, leading to their commercial demise.
Despite this, there has been an occasional resurgence of interest in using steam technology to power road vehicles. Steam vehicles are advantageous over internal combustion-powered cars as the engine (excluding the boiler) is smaller and lighter. It is also better suited to the speed and torque characteristics of the axle, avoiding the need for a heavy and complex transmission. Steam cars are also quieter, even without a silencer.
Today, steam vehicle models are available as collectibles and offer enthusiasts a captivating experience that combines education and entertainment.
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Hydrogen fuel enhancement
Water-fuelled cars have been the subject of international patents, news articles, and TV coverage. However, the claims surrounding these vehicles have been deemed pseudoscience, and some have been linked to investment frauds. According to the laws of physics, it is not possible to extract energy from water alone. Water-fuelled cars are therefore not feasible, but hydrogen fuel enhancement is a viable alternative.
Despite the challenges, hydrogen fuel enhancement has the potential to improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions. Hydrogen is a clean fuel that can power vehicles without producing carbon dioxide. It is already used in commercial transport, such as buses and trucks, and in private transport cars. However, the production of hydrogen is currently more expensive than gasoline or batteries, and there are complications with handling and storing it.
To conclude, while a water-fuelled car is not possible, hydrogen fuel enhancement offers a promising alternative to traditional fossil fuels. Hydrogen fuel enhancement can improve fuel economy and reduce emissions, but more research and development are needed to overcome the challenges of hydrogen production, distribution, and handling.
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Frequently asked questions
Water-fuelled cars are not possible according to the currently accepted laws of physics. Water does not possess the mechanical or chemical energy required for propulsion. However, hydrogen, which is a constituent element of water, can be used to power cars.
Hydrogen-powered cars use hydrogen as fuel to generate electricity to power motors or fuel combustion in modified internal combustion engines. The hydrogen reacts with oxygen from the air to create water, either through burning in a combustion engine or catalysed to produce electricity in a fuel cell.
Hydrogen-powered cars are considered clean because they do not produce carbon dioxide as a byproduct when compared to gasoline-powered cars. Hydrogen fuel enhancement can also be used to improve fuel economy and reduce emissions.
