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Too good to be true?

A Car that Runs on Nothing but Water

Japanese auto maker Genepax released a prototype of a hybrid vehicle in June 2008 that they claim only runs on water—any kind: sea water, rain, bottled, or even tea. The company says it "cannot [reveal] the core part of this invention,” yet, but it has disclosed that the system uses an onboard energy generator (a "membrane electrode assembly") to extract the hydrogen using a "mechanism which is similar to the method in which hydrogen is produced by a reaction of metal hydride and water".

The hydrogen is then used to generate energy to run the car. This has led to speculation that the metal hydride is consumed in the process and is the ultimate source of the car's energy, making the car a hydride-fuelled "hydrgen on demand" vehicle, rather than water-fuelled as claimed. On the company's website the energy source is explained only with the words "chemical reaction." The science and technology magazine Popular Mechanics has described Genepax's claims as "Rubbish."

The car going into production hasn't become a reality, but the truth about water-powered cars will, as they say, all come out in the wash.

What are your thoughts about water-fueled cars, trucks or SUVs?