There were water powered internal combustion engines before which included Alen Mayer and our own Dingle. They mysteriously died or their inventionrs mysteriously disappeared . There were allegations that fuel companies conspired that they be not launched and recognized as business will be taken away fromm them.
Now the growing scarcity of fossil fuel and the need to remove carbon from atmosphere (which lead to climate change) have provoked research into alternative energy sources:
1. Electric vehicles - But experts figured out that the production of batteries generated at least 12,000 kg of carbon from extraction to processing. The cars also has dangers as Li has been known to burn and cause fires. There is problem with charging infrastructures, and problem with range. Many EV owners are returning to ICE cars
2. Hydrogen - flammable and problem in handling and logistics. You need heavy duty tanks and the hydrogen infrastructures are few and would be expensive to produce. Toyota has done research into this
3. Now comes water powered ICE cars. The car is loaded with water and hydrolosis of water into hydrogen and oxygen is done int the car. There would still be battery for hydrolysis (coming from solar panels). There is no need for separate hydrolosis and storage. This will need for redesign of engines. Toyota is into this and probably all EVs manufacturer will shift into this engine/technology.
Experts predict that this will be wave of the future for vechicle technology. Fossil fuel will be rserved for heavy industries and heavy transport lessening pollution and conserving fossil fuel.
