Watergen, an Israeli company focusing on collecting drinking water from the air, was selected by automaker Ford Motors to provide built-in water generators in its adventure recreational vehicles.
The project, called Mobile Box, is the world’s first vehicle on-board drinking system capable of extracting clean water from ambient air, the company said. The product was revealed on the Ford Ranger pick-up at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas last weekend. It was also displayed at the Smart Mobility Summit in Tel Aviv this week.
The Mobile Box will be preinstalled on Ford vehicles and can generate up to 25 liters per day of fresh drinking water, using only a 12V power supply and access to fresh air to produce the water.
Ford will mount the Mobile Box unit, which is fitted with sturdy wheels for ease of transport, on the flatbed of the Ranger where it will occupy minimal space due to its compact dimensions, the company said.
The ability to produce clean drinking water without relying on an external water source is a game changer for those who seek off-grid adventures. The Watergen Mobile Box system can be mounted externally on various types of vehicles, including trucks, trailers, buses, RVs, motor homes and all modes of luxury land and sea transport. And at only 30 kg., the impact on fuel consumption is minimal. All the system requires for optimal water production is access to fresh air, a temperature between 15°C and 45°C and 20%-99% humidity.
Following the announcement, a Ford Ranger fitted with Watergen’s Mobile Box will embark on a 12-month tour of the United States in collaboration with Outside magazine, where journalists and members of the public will be able to see the system first-hand.
Watergen, established in 2009 in Petah Tikva, uses a series of filters to derive water from air through a process that involves chilling the air to extract its humidity. Its products have been deployed in countries around the world as well as throughout Israel. In 2019, a machine was installed at the Western Wall in Jerusalem providing drinking water made from thin air.
The collaboration with Ford underlines Watergen’s ambition to become a global automotive supplier, it said. The company’s water generators are also made in different sizes to supply water for cities, villages, commercial centers, schools, hospitals, offices, residential buildings and private homes.