MotorHome, October 19, 2007
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RV owners and visitors attending the recent Coachmen RV Group owners rally had an opportunity to see a full-size motorhome that is powered by biodiesel fuel and has an electrical system that operates on solar power. They also got to view a Sportscoach Elite diesel Class A that employs a hydrogen generating system to produce a portion of its fuel. These are just two of the examples of how Coachmen RV Group is pursuing "green" technology for the next generation of its RVs.
Coachmen RV Group recently completed a year-long test of the Sportscoach Elite that was outfitted with a hydrogen generating system developed by Hy-Drive Technologies Ltd. of Mississauga, Ontario. The patented Hy-Drive HGS uses electrolysis to produce hydrogen and oxygen from distilled water. A vacuum pump injects the gases into the combustion chamber of the motorhome's engine. The hydrogen-enriched atmosphere in the combustion chamber makes the diesel fuel burn more completely. The burn occurs earlier in the ignition stroke of the piston, producing more power.
Hy-Drive designed the HGS to work on a variety of internal combustion engines. The company reported its testing trials show vehicles equipped with this technology experience 9 percent to 30 percent fuel savings, 2 percent to 6 percent horsepower improvement, up to 98 percent reduction of carbon monoxide emissions, up to 45 percent reduction in nitrous oxide emissions and up to 98 percent reduction in particulates.
Another Sportscoach Class A diesel that is decked out with the solar panels is the result of an operating agreement between Coachmen and Natural Source Energy Systems Inc. (NSESI). Coachmen teamed with NSESI in converting the diesel motorhome, an additional Class C motorhome and a fifth-wheel trailer to adapt to new state-of-the-art, high-efficiency solar panels. In addition to the research being conducted on the use of solar energy, Coachmen and NSESI are conducting research on biodiesel fuel in diesel-powered motorhomes designed and manufactured by Coachmen.
NSESI is a multinational corporation that has been working on developing renewable energy products. Earlier this year, the company began marketing a wide variety of products including photovoltaic cells, solar heat panels, solar water heaters and biodiesel fuels.
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