Indian students develop water-powered autorickshaw

Engineering students from R.V. College of Engineering in India have developed what is claimed to be the country’s first water-powered autorickshaw. The autorickshaw was powered by a retro-fit-kit. The emission testing certificate shows a decrease in hydrocarbon emissions from 4,500 parts per million (ppm) to 21ppm. The fuel efficiency increased up to 20%. The project was presented at the Hybrid Auto Rickshaw Battle, an international competition at SRM Campus, Chennai, organized by Enviu, an international organization. The retro-fit-kit developed by the team consists of a hydrolizer (a term coined by the developers) which leads to electrolysis of water to produce Hy-Ox gas (Hydrogen and Oxygen gas). This gas performs hydrogen enhancement of conventional fossil fuel and ensures an increase in fuel combustion. (July 20, 2009)