If you’ve been following our Green News section from the start, you’ll have heard of BYD (Build Your Dreams). It’s the Chinese company with which VW recently signed an MOU to explore partnership in the areas of hybrids and electric vehicles powered by lithium-ion batteries, in an effort to tap into BYDs expertise in advanced battery technology. It’s also the company that Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway invested in substantially last year.

Well, BYD could prove to be a much more influential player than anyone really anticipated, as they’ve recently advanced the launch of their first EV in the American market to as early as next year. The car you see here is the EV in question – it’s the all-electric E6 powered by a lithium-ion battery pack. It can accelerate to 100km/h in a very respectable 10 seconds, and reach a top speed of 160km/h. And most importantly, it’s said to have a range of 300 kilometers on a full charge. The Toyota Prius, Honda Insight, and even the Chevrolet Volt, would be quaking just a little, I’d imagine, in their semi-electric boots.

It’s not very likely that one will hear the ex-President of a large country like India speak about how a new technology will impact motoring worldwide. But that’s exactly what happened in Delhi, when APJ Abdul Kalam, spoke on the subject. And especially, within the Indian context, on how a mix of fuels derived by adding liquid hydrogen, could be used for existing internal combustion engines.

Of course, there was enough to be said on fuel cells also, but this was along the lines of a very rapid quick fix. Barring small two-wheelers, where space and balance was a constraint, this technology can easily be retro-fitted on everything from 3-wheelers and upwards.

Known generically as the ‘Hydrogen assisted Internal Combustion engine,’ retro-fitting charges were estimated at about Rs. 20,000 for three-wheelers, Rs. 50,000 for cars, and Rs. 1.7 lakhs for trucks and buses. Trial vehicle are already running at various locations, with up to 25% of hydrogen added to CNG or liquid fuels, and while there are issues of backfiring and torque in larger vehicles, these are being resolved. Results in smaller vehicles are much better.

Full details of this speech, and his views on hydrogen technology for motor vehicles, presented at the World Hydrogen Technology Convention in August at New Delhi, are available at his website www.abdulkalam.com.

Mention must also be made of Indian Oil’s pioneering work in this field. It’s increasingly clear that IOC is rapidly emerging from being just an oil company, and moving towards being a leading energy player, which needs to be commended.