In July 2008, I had talked about the H2CAR fuel cell vehicle being unveiled in the Tecnalia region of Spain. The H2CAR, besides using hydrogen, is also a plug-in hybrid that recharges using a normal household 220v outlet.
But now, the Grupo Hidrógeno (Hydrogen Group) from the University of Navarre in Spain has developed a method to retrofit an internal combustion engine to run on hydrogen. The University uses a wind-powered energy emulator to electrolyze water to create hydrogen for the engine.
The Spanish hydrogen engine is rated at a top speed of around 84 mph and a top RPM at around 5,000. A Volkswagen engine was assembled in Pamplona, Spain (presumably dodging the running of the bulls) and was then taken to the University of Navarre where it was converted to run on hydrogen.
The aim of the Hydrogen Group is to develop clean technology that will relieve the world on the reliance of fossil fuels. As the first hydrogen internal combustion engine (HICE) developed in Spain, the University of Navarre hopes to study and develop hydrogen-powered engines in regard to normalizing such issues as fuel injection, ignition, starting temperatures, speed stabilization and acceptable loads.