Climate change has been an important aspect of our existence for several years now. However, recent developments indicate that all governments are taking this issue more seriously. The European Union has officially announced that, from 2035, the sale of vehicles that emit pollutants will be banned. In addition, the famous ZBE are currently being implemented in numerous municipalities throughout Spain. Therefore, innovations such as those of the Liechtenstein company look to the future with optimism and their functionality is quite intriguing.
If a vehicle runs on seawater, its main benefit is assumed to be the long-term availability of this resource. In this article we present the car that could leave behind electric and hydrogen cars that run on seawater.
Vehicles that run on sea water
At the Geneva Motor Show, Swiss firm NanoFlowcell presented its research initiative in collaboration with Swedish luxury carmaker Koenigsegg and German company Bosch. It is a sports car called the Quant e-Sportlimousine, which is distinguished by one remarkable feature: it runs on salt water.
The prototype's water, similar to that of the sea, serves as a source of energy to charge the batteries, which allows the large vehicle to reach high speeds, rapid acceleration and significant range.
In fact, it exhibits remarkable speed, since the sea water on which it operates allows it to reach speeds of 380 km/h and accelerate to 100 kilometres per hour in just 2,8 seconds.
This NanoFlowcell model features a striking look reminiscent of a Mercedes S-Class sedan, albeit with a slightly lower profile and upward-opening butterfly doors.
What's under the salt water that propels it?
The electric propulsion system of the sports prototype developed by Nunzio La Vecchio, NanoFlowcell's chief technology officer, is based on a flow battery that uses two non-polluting metal salt solutions for charging and discharging.
Capable of housing an immense amount of power, this vehicle is powered by four electric motors linked to a torque management system that provides a total power of 925 horsepower, all supplied by supercapacitors.
The operation of motors through supercapacitors It is made possible by electricity supplied by a specific device, which is the defining characteristic of the vehicle, since no comparable invention existed until then.
This power supply system is being used for the first time in automotive applications, although NASA had previously used electrochemical accumulators to generate the electricity needed for its vehicles, similar to certain living organisms found in nature. To function, requires a modest seawater tank of about 400 liters.
The energy needed for the vehicle to operate is obtained from the interaction of two charged liquids, one positive and one negative, contained in 200-litre tanks installed in the car, allowing it to reach a range of 600 kilometres.
This 400-litre saltwater system gives the sports car the following features:
- The electrical capacity It is estimated at 120 kWh, with a consumption range of 20 to 30 kWh per 100 kilometers.The nominal voltage is 600 V, accompanied by a current of 50 A and a continuous power of 30 kW.
- The Quant e-Sportlimousine’s capabilities elevate it significantly above its competitors in the same category, namely the Tesla Model S and Nissan Leaf. This underscores the inaugural model’s promise of a sports car capable of operating on ocean water.
Why has only one model of this type been developed to date?
It is clear that this prototype offers the significant benefit of replacing conventional contaminants found in electric batteries with harmless salt water. However, a major challenge to address is the dimensions and mass of the water tanks, which make this model exceed 5 meters in length and weigh 2.300 kilograms.
The initial model of a seawater-powered car is quite commendable considering its fuel capacity, performance and minimal pollution. The next step is to address the challenges related to its size and weight.
How does a vehicle that uses seawater work?
This vehicle, developed by the company Nanoflowcell, focuses on creating innovative approaches to sustainability in mobility. Although the car was first presented in 2016, It is currently in the testing phase.
The operation of this vehicle is very similar to that of a traditional electric car, with the particularity that its battery uses bio-ion technology instead of lithium-ion. These batteries are therefore composed of a saline solution instead of relying on lithium ions.
In this sense, the vehicle called Quantino uses tanks to store seawater, which circulates through a system that uses electrolytes to generate electrical energy from salt. In addition, this mechanism contributes to reducing the weight of the vehicles, which in turn reduces their cost.
Is it true that the vehicle runs on seawater as fuel?
Although it may seem far-fetched and science fiction-like, the Quantino has passed an exhaustive series of tests that may pave the way for the homologation of this intriguing vehicle. Specifically, has accumulated more than 10.000 driving hours and has travelled a distance of over 350.000 km.
Consequently, these tests have not been straightforward, but Nanoflowcell claims that the results are very favourable, with only typical problems reported, such as tyre-related issues and some additional repairs.
The results of these tests indicate that this vehicle has an adequate range, achieving a distance of 1.000 km, together with a relatively fast recharging capacity. In addition, the vehicle does not show excessive consumption, since the test data reveal an average energy consumption of between 8 and 10 kWh per 100 kilometers.
I hope that with this information you can learn more about the vehicle that uses seawater as fuel.