Fuel saver fails Times test

A hydrogen hybrid fuel system touted as saving between 25 and 40 per cent on petrol has failed miserably in a Times product test.

Michael Fresnel, co-founder of Hamilton firm OctaFuel, said his confidence in his product had been "absolutely shattered" by the result of a month-long test by Motor Times columnist Eric Otoka.

And Mr Fresnel said he may have been deceived by the US firm he bought the technology from a company he told the Times had apparently disappeared and could not be contacted. He would not reveal the firm's name as he seeks legal advice.

In mid-August, Mr Fresnel had an OctaFuel system fitted to a 1300cc Toyota Echo owned by the Times and tested for improved fuel efficiency by Mr Otoka.

Although Mr Fresnel had been "absolutely" confident the product would save between 25 and 40 per cent on fuel consumption, Mr Otoka's testing was plagued by technical problems and he recorded a maximum of only 4.8 per cent fuel savings.

Mr Fresnel said he had no issue with Mr Otoka's test methods or results, and believed he had "a viable product" when he initially approached the Times about the test.

Mr Fresnel was at a loss to explain why the system had performed so poorly: "I don't know. It doesn't add up to the testing we've done prior."

The US firm had provided evidence to back its testing and claims, but Mr Fresnel said he now believed he had been duped. He also conceded he may have gone public with the testing too soon.

"I'm starting to question now whether or not the claims that are made overseas about this technology are real.

"I feel really angry. The public are being ripped off on technology that is not real."

Mr Fresnel stressed he was not a fraudster and was now in the process of arranging a recall on the systems which had been installed, and arranging refunds. He had also been forced to withdraw advertising for the product as a result of complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority.

Mr Fresnel said he had spent at least $100,000 developing the OctaFuel system and, with the product now being recalled, it had become a "total (financial) disaster".

"It's affected me to the point where I have had to negotiate with some of my creditors," he said.

Automobile Association technical advice manager Jack Biddle did not want to comment on the results of Mr Otoka's test, other than reiterating the organisation's scepticism about the value and cost of fuel-saving devices.

Customers with OctaFuel systems can contact Mr Fresnel through product.recall@octafuel.com.