Is a water powered car even possible?
For the past years, scientists, engineers, and mechanics have tried to design and build a water-powered car that would render fossil fuel burning technologies inferior and obsolete. There have been numerous breakthroughs and recently, cars that run on a synthetic fuel, made from water and air, represent the cutting-edge of innovation.
The world is becoming more and more aware of technologies that have the potential to completely change our world for the best by halting the unnecessary damage we create using fossil fuels. But what will happen when the world will run out of fossil fuels? It may be too late for us to find out judging by the fact that we are basically poisoning our air and water at an alarming and increasing rate. However, transitioning our way of life to be more harmonious with the planet is happening for the past years – not only including solar and wind power harnessing but also by developing clean, green technology.
Sweeping the auto industry, Audi rolls out the e-diesel that USES, not EMITS carbon dioxide. Another fantastic example of engineering is the nanoFLOWCELL Quant e-Sportlimousine, a research prototype that is powered by saltwater. Audi is generating electricity with wind power or Sun power and uses that to split water into oxygen and hydrogen. Taking hydrogen and combining it with carbon dioxide, they produce a feed stock, from which they can make diesel fuel. They do not need pure water for this – just the opposite! – because they pass an electrical current through it. If you have an Audi vehicle, take a look at this European Car Mechanic.
E-Diesel: The Latest Breakthrough by Audi
It would definitely be great if the only fuel needed to power our cars was a substance as cheap and abundant as water! While we (still) cannot pour water directly into our fuel tank and run the engine on water power, we might be doing just that in a few years. Audi has been working hard and has just opened a pilot plant in Dresden, Germany, where they will be producing biodiesel from a process that uses green power, water, and carbon dioxide.
They call the resulting substance “blue crude”, which behaves just like regular diesel fuel after it is refined. It is so similar to diesel that Audi has managed to put it directly into an A8 TDI without a problem. The image below explains how they make this e-diesel.
This synthetic diesel, made using CO2, is a huge success for our sustainability research. If we can make widespread use of CO2 as a raw material, we will make a crucial contribution to climate protection and the efficient use of resources, and put the fundamentals of the ‘green economy’ in place.
Johanna Wanka, Germany’s Federal Minister of Education and Research
From 0 to 60mph in 2.8 Seconds… with Saltwater!
With a top speed of 217mph (equal to a McLaren P1!), 200-liter water tanks and a range of 600km, the Quant e-Sportlimousine is an exceptional piece of engineering. Sports cars do not really have the best reputation for being environmentally-friendly, but this vehicle has been designed to reach 217.5mph using nothing but saltwater. It uses a nano-network flow battery, which is why the company is called nanoFLOWCELL.
It works just like a hydrogen fuel cell, except that the liquid used for storing energy is saltwater. The saltwater passes through a membrane in between 2 tanks, creating an electric charge, which is then stored and distributed by super capacitors. The car has 4 electric motors and, after making its debut at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show, the saltwater technology has been certified for use on European roads. Unlike traditional chemical batteries, to recharge the battery, you only need to replenish the electrolyte, which in this case is just salt water.
Seeing that the automotive industry is making efforts, which result in quite some important advancements in developing “greener” fuel systems and vehicles altogether, does bring hope in terms of domestic energy supplies. The potential is much greater and the manufacturers declare they have got major plans not just within the automobile industry, but also in maritime, rail and aviation industries.
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Resources:
- http://news.nationalgeographic.com/energy/2015/04/150428-audi-ediesel-made-from-water-air/
- http://www.cheatsheet.com/automobiles/audi-announces-it-can-fuel-cars-with-water.html/?a=viewall
- http://www.collective-evolution.com/2014/09/27/salt-water-powered-car-gets-approval-in-europe-yes-its-real/
- http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2739768/The-sports-car-runs-SALTWATER-Vehicle-goes-0-60mph-2-8-seconds-just-approved-EU-roads.html
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water-fuelled_car
