Hydrogen feed

I would like your opinion about a gadget which I believe is now on sale. As far as I know it’s based on a hydrogen feed into the intake system and is said to reduce fuel usage and emissions by as much as 10%. I've heard it referred to as a CGON, but I am not sure if that is the correct name. I believe it can be fitted in one hour by a garage! W Williamson There is indeed a product called CGON (cgon.co.uk) which is described by the manufacturer as fuel enhancement technology that increases fuel efficiency, keeps DPFS clean and reduces emissions. The product is being advertised for £459 fitted and produces hydrogen using CGON’S electrolyte solution at a top-up cost of £8.40 every 6000 miles. Unlike some earlier units, it does not try and produce hydrogen gas from water, but the special electrolyte solution means the process uses less current, making it more practical for automotive use.

There is no doubt that adding hydrogen to the fuel/air mixture will assist burning and lower emissions. The fuel savings will come from releasing more power per litre from a more efficient burn. The actual saving on fuel will vary, but the testimonials on CGON’S website state savings of between 11-28%.

Based on these figures and my sketchy maths, if these figures are correct then the unit would pay for itself in 15,000-20,000 miles. You would, of course, need to inform your insurance company and not doing so would invalidate your vehicle insurance. As I have no personal experience of the unit, I can only comment from the information given on the maker’s website. However, it’s worth noting that there was a ruling by the Advertising Standards Agency which upheld a complaint against CGON with regard to the claims made. The full report number A17-386763 can be read here https://bit.ly/2gigaoc