General
Hydrogen-powered energy-saving car unveiled
Tue, 05 Jul 2005
Young drivers looking to save on fuel, and with it on car insurance, could have found the car of their dreams.
The hydrogen-powered Ech2o car, unveiled yesterday by its British creators, can travel on less electricity than it takes to power a light bulb.
According to the gas company BOC, which designed and produced Ech2o, the car needs only 25 watts of power for a 25,000-mile global trip – the same wattage as a not very powerful light bulb.
It's extremely energy efficient and good for the environment, emitting only water, BOC claimed.
"The lessons from this and other projects will show that hydrogen fuel cell-powered vehicles could be a practical, attractive and a viable economic alternative to diesel or petrol-fuelled vehicles," John Carolin, director of sustainable energy for BOC, told the Guardian.
However, young drivers with a passion for speed could be disappointed – Ech2o has a top speed of just 30 miles per hour, meaning it would take at least a month for the energy-saving car to make the world trip, even if it were driven flat-out.
© DeHavilland Information Services plc
