The Tesla Model S is an all-electric luxury Sedan. Environmentally friendly, all drivers have to do is charged up their batteries before they can once again hit the road. However, recently, a Netherlands gas supplier called the Holthausen Group hacked a Tesla Model S and modified it so it would run on both Hydrogen and electricity instead of solely the latter. They succeeded and called it "Project Hesla."
Online news website The Drive, reported that the Hesla had two main sources of power. The onboard battery that came with the car itself upon purchase, and the hydrogen stored in the vehicle's tanks. By utilizing both of these sources of power, the Holthausen Group was able to boost the car's maximum range. The Holthausen Group has been the first successful team to achieve this.
According to the Holthausen Group, the project was a difficult one. They acquired a second hand Tesla Model S and had their engineer develop a way to hack into the car's Hydrogen source. They described their attempts to do this as "a big maze" but after implementing workarounds and a handful of hard work, they managed to have the Tesla draw power from both sources instead of one.
Science and Technology news website Futurism explain the process. The tweaked version of the Tesla Model S had it so hydrogen molecules would be pumped into a fuel cell where its electrons would be removed and sent to the battery to give it an extra kick. This process would then help power the car.
It's a complicated process that Futurism simplified and explained.
The news has gotten people interested in the possibilities of hacking their own cars. However, the process itself is a pricey one. Reportedly, converting a Tesla Model S cost roughly $58,000. Aside from the conversion itself, people would also have to purchase the hydrogen charging system and the other items needed to actually make the conversion work.
