Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe RESEARCH CONTINUES INTO HYDROGEN-POWERED CARS The administration recently took a strong stand advocating hydrogen-powered cars even though some say their mass production is a long way off. During his State of the Union Address, for example, President Bush called for diversification in powerplants and the development of such vehicles. Advertisement Among the first to heed the call is Toyota. It recently unveiled near Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., what it calls a "Fuel Cell Hybrid Vehicle" and some say it is a prototype of the move toward the future in transportation. The FCHV model shown late last week in Washington is a converted Toyota Highlander model. It's a five-passenger mid-size sport-utility vehicle -- the first time the FCHV technology has been used to power something as large as an SUV. The automaker says it's logged more than 80,000 successful miles using the new technology and continues to tweak the concept. Fuel cells, according to the company, create a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen that creates the electricity to drive the car. The byproduct is water, not exhaust gasses. Research was carried out at the University of California at Irvine, in Orange County, about two hours southeast of downtown Los Angeles. Advertisement When the company puts the model into production initial sales will be by 30-month lease only. Meanwhile, many say the full-scale production of hydrogen-powered vehicles will not happen for more than a decade. NEW OVERNIGHT TOOTH WHITENER TOUTED The latest tooth-whitening device released for sale is an overnight product by Colgate-Palmolive. It's called Simply White. The company says it is a more attractive whitening system than many on the market because it allows for the application of the product before a person goes to bed. The formulation is a clear gel that is brushed on just after regular tooth brushing. Additionally, the product can be applied while teeth and mouth are still wet. The suggested retail price has been set in the $15 range. Colgate-Palmolive is offering a full "non-satisfaction" refund. The advertising for the new product will promise "dramatically" whiter teeth after just two weeks of use. Nationwide distribution is set for next month in most cities. The gel will enter an already cluttered market of products promising white teeth, from specialty toothpaste products to "patches" worn over teeth and gums. This system, though, undercuts the price of many already on the market.
