Car of the Future

Sunday Revue - Bulletin Today
Sunday, September 29, 1985

[DanielDingel.com Note: This is a text-encoded version of an original newspaper article as depicted in the photograph.]

Here's the story of one man's struggle to find a niche in motoring history - changing motor fuel from gas to water - only to find frustration most of the way


IT WAS one of the smoothest car rides we ever had. The shifting of gears was flawless, the acceleration was effortless and the ride as a whole as normal as you can get from a well-tuned, well-maintained luxury car except that this was not an ordinary car.

From the outside, however, the Lancer Super Saloon was like any of the thousands turned out by the assembly plant. The body, the tires, the suspension system, the cooling system, even parts of the engine. The main difference, however, is that this car runs on water. Yes, ordinary, tap water which you and I get from our faucets.

The car is owned by Daniel Dingel, a 52-year-old inventor who claims to have perfected the world's first water-powered car.

The car generated so much interest and inquiry that Dingel at one time or another had to explain the concept to representatives of American and Japanese car companies, top government officials, Filipino scientists at the National Science Development Board, Philippine Inventions Development Institute, mechanics, car buffs and many others and almost singularly, all agreed that the thing works.

The Bulletin chief mechanic, Rolly Salazar, also had doubts in the beginning. But when he observed the system, he too, joined the ranks of believers.

The car, by no means, runs on water alone. Gasoline is also needed but only to start the engine. Once the engine starts, the gas supply is automatically cut-off. This was attested to by BT mechanic Salazar who himself blocked the fuel line leading to the carburetor.

Dingel says that an engine powered by water becomes very efficient and more powerful. "A drop of water," he says, "is equivalent to SS drops of gasoline."

What about rust? Isn't it that water causes rust? Dingel says that his research showed that gasoline shortens the life of an engine because of carbon formation. This formation, he adds, serves as a grinding compound on the parts of the engine and contaminates the oil. True water causes rust, but rust burns along with water and that burning of water reduces wear, tear and friction.

Dingel also claims that the car is a proven fuel saver. From Manila to Laguna, a distance of 147 kilometers, he said he consumed 15 liters of water and half a liter of gasoline.

He said he also tested the car in America and run it from Detroit to Florida. He used up 60 liters of water and two liters of gasoline during the travel. It was also there that some American experts viewed his invention. He said they were satisfied with the results.

Someone from BMW, the German car firm, also came to visit and though satisfied with the car, he wanted to be convinced some more and requested that Dingel dismantle the car.

Dingel refused. He has always been wary of people wanting to open up the engine because he is afraid that someone might steal the concept and use it for their own benefit.

Dingel says that the secret of his car is in the innovations he put in the engine which was a product of 14 years of research.

It was, at first, a hit-and-miss thing, he recalls. Sometimes the engine would overheat, other times, the compartments would be flooded, on occasions the sparkplug would malfunction or some important part would rust.

Finally he corrected all the flaws and the engine now works perfectly.

Dingle says that the benefit from a water-powered car, once it is mass-produced, is so staggering that it simply will bogle the mind.

For instance, he said, if the Philippine government would invest into it, which he, however, doubts, there will be a big drop in the consumption of oil and therefore a giant saving in foreign exchange.

The money saved will then be plowed back into the economy, creating more jobs and so forth and so on.

What then is stopping Dingel from producing it in a joint venture with other interested persons?

Dingel says "I don't want to think ill of anybody. I just want to make sure that these inventions get into hands who will not use them for their own selfish motives. I didn't work 14 years day and night to come up with someting for rich businessmen. I was able to come up with this car because I have always wanted to make life better for the people, especially the poor. I don't want to see hungry people anymore. We've suffered enough."

Atty. Eduardo Tan, assigned by the Filipinas Foundation Inc. as counsel to Dingel while the scientist was under a seven figure FFI grant for three years, reveals that he and Dingel have approached people in the government who tested the car and saw it work. They all congratulated Dingel, says Atty. Tan and that was the last time Dingel heard from them.

Why these government people haven't done anything about the water-fueled car is a puzzle to Atty. Tan, who has tested the car on a 500-km. run from Makati to nearby provinces in the South. Why this is happeneing, I don't know. Who can say what their motives are? But I do know that no private company would be in a position to manufacture the car here. The investment would run into hundreds of millions or billions of pesos. Only the government has that money.

What happened to the proposals of foreign investors? Dingel says flatly that he was not pleased with any of the proposals. "They all wanted to make big money out of it, just that, at the expense of the common people. I am looking for selfless, honest investors. I haven't found any." Dingel adds he wants the car to be priced within the reach of common people and no potential investor has considered that. (JDG)