Go, H-Racer! Go!

Paul Meyers

04/01/2008

While automakers like GM and Honda are busy developing hydrogen-powered fuel-cell cars, Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies is thinking on a smaller scale. Don’t let the H-racer’s diminutive size fool you—it offers an equally straightforward demonstration of a fuel cell’s viability.

"The chicken and the egg scenario, with fueling stations and production cars, has been a huge problem for the advancement of the hydrogen fuel cell," says Taras Wankewycz, co-founder and vice president of Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies. "These small-scale applications are our way of initiating real change."

The H-racer requires about 30 minutes of assembly—which acquaints users with the car’s small fuel cell and a hydrogen storage tank that resembles a balloon. When you’re ready, pull up to the miniature fueling station that converts water to hydrogen with the energy from solar panels. (If the sun’s rays prove uncooperative, the station can also run on a pair of AA batteries.) The water bubbles as flashes of light illuminate the container. Then simply flip the switch on the car’s underside, and off it goes.

The H-racer makes a compelling case for vehicles that release no harmful emissions and are derived from the Earth’s most abundant natural resource.

A new radio controlled (RC) car that uses Horizon’s fuel-cell technology is currently in the developmental stages with Corgi International, a leading toy manufacturer. The futuristic RC car, called H2GO, was designed by Professor Luigi Colani and will be available in September for $99. A deluxe kit with a solar panel costs $129, while the H-racer is currently available on Horizon’s website for $110 for those who cannot wait.

Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies, www.horizonfuelcell.com