Go-karts go green

A Dutch company hopes that taking its fuel-cell-powered gokart (Mark 2) on the road will stimulate interest in zero-emission vehicles. The Mark 2 gokart hits 60 mph in under 8 sec. The H2 is a plug-and-play storage concept for medium-size mobile fuel-cell applications. It consists of a sophisticated reducer and module mounted on a composite pressure cylinder. Click and Go, a quick-disconnect system, from Bradford Instruments BV, Heerle, The Netherlands, simplifies cartridge removal and refilling. Besides the automotive sector, home generators and small transportation systems are promising markets for fuel-cell applications. Mobile power generators and short-range vehicles such as gokarts, scooters, and forklift trucks may apply the new technology. How would you like to race a go-kart without polluting? A Dutch company is moving in that direction by building and racing hydrogen-fuel-cell go-karts. Amsterdam, plans to establish the "ultimate zero-emission race" class to develop the technology and demonstrate it to the public. With numerous partners and suppliers, the company has developed the Formula Zero fuel-cell kart. The Mark 2 is designed for powerful acceleration with unprecedented power density for a hydrogen-fuel-cell vehicle. Maximum boosting power of 700 kW (for 8 sec) comes courtesy of the 8-kW Hydrogenics HyPM7 fuel