Hydrogen V8?

Question

With the H2R, BMW proved that hydrogen can be a good, safe, cheap, clean fuel source. They also proved that it can yeild impressive performance with a great engine note!

However, i'm not really a BMW fan, and even if i were, none of us could afford the Hydrogen 7. What I want is a hydrogen powered musclecar with a internal combustion V8.

Is it possible to convert an affordable V8 musclecar to run on hydrogen, while still retaining respectable performance?

Also, besides GM's Hydrogen Equinox, is there any info on whether Detroit will build a hydrogen sportscar?

Answer 1

I'm not sre where the previous answers came from...really now, not a fuel but storage??? Less combustible than gasoline???? Rockets are fueled by hydrogen not gasoline.

Combining hydrogen with oxygen to form water vapor - water is already available everywhere so there is no need to make it.

Alas, answering a question about hydrogen describing butane????

The answer is yes, a gasoline internal combustion engine (not diesel) can be converted to run off hydrogen or a fuel mixture containing hydrogen.

The problem being worked is how to break down water (h2o) efficiently to free up enough hydrogen. Currently, most prototypes use hydrogen as a boost to gasoline increasing mpg dramatically using existing carburetors or fuel injection.

Anyone who is mechanically inclined can find plans on the internet for building hydrogen cells and converting gasoline engines to run using hydrogen. Of course timing needs to be adjusted and modern cars have computers to regulate fuel mixtures and emissions which can be easily by-passed or fooled but so far is usually done with manual switches you change for startup/idle, city driving and freeway. BMW's engine is not dramatically different and the computer system is programmed to run the engine based on hydrogen versus gasoline.