Hummer O2 - Car That Breathes

An SUV that gives back to the environment? Of course it's too good to be true―for now. But the future is full of possibilities, if the design concept for the General Motors Hummer O2 is any indication.

The winner of the Design Challenge at the Los Angeles Auto Show in December 2006, the H2 has been dubbed "the car that breathes." This design concept is not an actual prototype yet, but its drawings and explanations make you think that maybe the U.S. auto industry still has some ingenuity left.

The Hummer O2 is a vehicle powered mostly by hydrogen fuel the cells in its wheels, and partially by―algae. Its algae-filled body panels "breathe," converting harmful exhaust gases back into oxygen, the way plants do.

Made of 100% post-consumer recycled materials, the entire vehicle, including its aluminum frame, would be able to be recycled again. The algae would need replacement once a year and the used algae would be recycled into more fuel.

Is It Really Possible?

Forget the shiny, pretty Hummer gas-guzzler― the Hummer 02 looks like a cross between a farm tractor and a Mars robot. This is a concept car, unlikely to be built any time soon. It's just an idea. And if this idea sparks others like it, we might someday have an affordable, efficient vehicle that leaves a very small footprint, if any, on the earth.

For more articles about the future of driving, see our section on Alternative Vehicles.