Hydrogen fuel cells will power the world's first environmentally clean sports car due to be built in the UK.

Sports car manufacturer Morgan will be using hydrogen fuel cell technology to power the LIFEcar, which will release only water as an emission.

A QinetiQ-made fuel cell, will power four electric motors located at each of the drive wheels and regenerative braking will be used to ensure the minimum energy wastage from the fuel cell.

Using regenerative braking to charge ultra-capacitors will enable the LIFEcar designers to produce a lighter and therefore faster car, as the fuel cell will only need to give out the 24kW necessary for cruising speed.

Also involved in the project are Oxford University, OSCar, BOC and Cranfield University, which will be respectively designing the electric motors, overseeing the system design, developing the hydrogen refuelling plant, and creating the on-board computing system.

Partly funded by the Department for Trade and Industry, the £1.9 million LIFECar project will take around two and a half years to reach completion.

Ÿ Adfero Ltd