A combination of rising petrol prices and increased environmental awareness is encouraging many people to explore alternative fuels. Better known options include electric, biodiesel and LPG-fuelled vehicles as well as hybrids which incorporate such technology alongside more conventional fuel sources. However, there is also a growing demand for supplemental hydrogen fuel cells – otherwise known as HHO technology.
By converting your car into an HHO hybrid, it is said that you can benefit from improved power and economy as well as reducing your emissions. Reduced fuel costs and a smaller carbon footprint? It’s a persuasive argument, but how easy is it to get your car converted?
The UK’s most popular car brand is Ford with the Ford Fiesta also the nation’s best-selling model with almost double the sales of its nearest rival. The firm can boast over 13 per cent of all car sales via dealers such as Matlock Ford. As the most common vehicles on the roads, how easy is it to convert Fords into HHO hybrids?
Peter Grimshaw of Manchester’s Hydro Hybrid Solutions, says that they are ideal.
“Converting to HHO couldn’t be simpler. It takes about three hours to fit to any vehicle and Fords are particularly easy as there is usually a good amount of space in the engine bay.”
Grimshaw emphasises that one of the major benefits of adding an HHO fuel cell is an increase in mileage per gallon. He claims an average improvement of 40-50 per cent and as much as 160 per cent. However, he also points to other advantages, such as a reduction in carbon build-up, fewer oil changes (due to the reduction in carbon) and a drop in engine temperature due to the flame spending less time on the cylinder wall.
“The flame spends less time on the cylinder wall and this faster flame speed also increases power which means you need to put your foot down less to get the same momentum thus using even less fuel.”
Add in an average reduction in emissions of around 60 per cent and it is easy to see why this form of hybrid technology is gaining traction, particularly with conversion being so easy to carry out.
