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VW Bora Hy.Power

In a few years, we won't be filling up with petrol, say car manufacturers - it'll be the hydrogen pump we'll be looking for. Fuel cells, which use the gas in a chemical reaction with air to create electricity, are the future of motoring according to most experts.

March 2002

In a few years, we won't be filling up with petrol, say car manufacturers - it'll be the hydrogen pump we'll be looking for. Fuel cells, which use the gas in a chemical reaction with air to create electricity, are the future of motoring according to most experts.

But like all technology, it will take time to get right. And this is VW's attempt to prove it's well on the way. The Bora Hy.Power won't be unveiled until the Geneva Motor Show next month, but here we can bring you an exclusive glimpse of the future. The firm says its innovation is a real production prospect as it does away with many of the precious metals previously needed, replacing them with plastic fibres. The six electric motors produce 64bhp, which give 70mph top speed and adequate acceleration.

Regenerative brakes, which feed energy back to the engines when the car slows, top up a power reserve to boost performance on inclines. Driving is a weird experience, with the only noises the hissing of the motors and the boiling kettle sound of the exhaust pipe emitting water vapours. But while there's still a long way to go, VW has proved fuel cell technology can be cost-effective. All it needs now is the public interest to make it viable.

It'll be a while before fuel cell technology becomes commonplace. But as VW and other companies continue to develop their products and make the running gear cheaper and more compact, buyers will surely become convinced. These electric powerplants are bound to be at the heart of tomorrow's vehicles.

At a glance

* Volkswagen Bora Hy.Power, will be in showrooms by 2010

* Emits only water vapour

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