by BRYAN WALKER

A BARBADIAN COMPANY is on a drive to provide vehicle owners with more mileage when they fill up at the pump.

Lloyd Brathwaite, managing director of Trans-Tech Inc, says that if all goes to plan, his Kendall Hill, Christ Church operation will roll out by October, a device that could see fuel consumption in the average car or truck cut by up to 60 per cent.

He told the WEEKEND NATION they had joined forces with a German/Japanese group that has developed fuel cell technology, that through a mixture of water and hydrogen, would extend the fuel capacity of vehicles.

He added that while the technology was not new, as it had been used to fire spacecraft for example, it was now being developed for vehicle usage.

The devices, known as electrolisers, could be installed in most vehicles.

"The electrolisers will put out two-and-a-half litres of HHO (hydrogen and oxygen) gas per minute. On an average 1 600cc engine, the most you will get out of that car is 28 miles a gallon. With our new system, you should be getting no less than 50 miles per gallon of gasoline," Brathwaite stressed.

He added that a $100 fill-up that would have lasted a driver a week, would now last for two, all things being equal.

He said while the initial costs would be "from $5 000 and upwards" a vehicle to have it installed, the benefits would far outweigh this investment.

These included producing cleaner air by cutting hydrocarbon emissions "to virtually zero . . . as when you burn hydrogen, the output is just water".

Brathwaite said they had been testing two prototypes on all different makes and models of vehicles in recent months to ensure all the bases were covered before introducing them to the public.

He said the device, which would take four days to install once the vehicle met the requirements, would only need maintenance every 13 months.

His initial target will be private owners, especially those with SUVs and other "gas guzzlers", as well as companies with a large fleet of vehicles and high fuel costs.

The managing director said he was particularly excited about the venture because it was one way of reducing individuals' and the country's gas bills, especially in light of skyrocketing oil prices on the international market.

Trans-Tech has secured the licence to manufacture the product for the entire Caribbean and South America. Brathwaite said his 19-year-old business, which specialises in vehicle maintenance and servicing, would focus first on Barbados before branching out.

Please see also Page 16.