Inventors of Water Powered Cars

The concept of using water as fuel for cars is not something new. It is an established fact that a water molecule is composed of hydrogen and oxygen atoms. It is equally well known that hydrogen is a wonderful source of automotive power; it burns very cleanly and generates less heat in the process. There is also a well known process for separating the individual components of water; this is electrolysis. All these scientific facts combined have led to the realization that water can indeed be used as a source of automobile power.

However, there is a world of difference between the concept and its actual application. If that were not the case, we would have long been using water-powered instead of gasoline-powered cars. Nevertheless, there are people who have attempted to bridge the gap between theory and practice. The following are just some of them.

Francois Isaac de Rivaz

Francois Isaac de Rivaz is a Swiss inventor who, in 1806, designed and successfully constructed the first-ever internal combustion engine. A year after his invention of the internal combustion engine, Francois Isaac de Rivaz built a car made of wood then used his invention to make it run. To power his automobile, de Rivaz used Hydrogen which he extracted from water.

Charles H Garrett

Charles Henry Garrett filed and got approved for a patent on his electrolytic carburetor. This carburetor, according to design specifications, allows a car to use water for its fuel. Basically, it converts water into hydrogen fuel through the carburetor's electrolysis plates, which were in turn initially powered by the battery. Garrett used his carburetor and demonstrated its application by driving a water-fueled car in 1935.

Stanley Meyer

Stanley Meyer, more popularly known as Stan Meyer, is another inventor who designed a system for making a car run on water fuel. Stan Meyer first designed a water fuel cell which serves the purpose of separating the Hydrogen from Oxygen in water at less the energy required in normal electrolysis procedures. The initial energy needed for electrolytic action to begin is supplied by the battery. After electrolytic action, the individual gases are then directed into the internal combustion engine to produce power for the vehicle. Enough power is produced to recharge the battery.

Stan Meyer converted his Dune Buggy (from Volkswagen) into a water-fuelled car using his own water fuel cell technology. He organized a public demonstration of his invention in 1998 where he was able to cover 100 miles per gallon of water fuel used.