We’re all concerned about how much it costs to fill our gas tanks these days, but one local man has taken matters into his own hands to get more out of each tank – he uses hydrogen.

You’ll find sculptures and art all around John Benedict’s house, because he’s an artist. It’s his full-time job. “It’s a passion,” he says. “Like, that’s who I am as an artist. I’m not a diesel mechanic,” he laughs.

He may not think so, but you may. Right now he’s finishing his latest work of art, a hydrogen fuel cell, which keeps him from having to buy gas all the time. “I’m pretty good at figuring things out and solving problems,” he says.

Benedict says he hopes he can one day solve everyone’s gas problems with his creation. The way it works is, he takes water, adds electricity to it, and out of it comes hydrogen. That hydrogen is used to make gas more efficient.

“I did a number of weeks of research before I decided to actually put one on my truck,” he says. “The first time I put one on my truck I got a 10% increase in fuel efficiency, and I’m like OK, game on!”

He’s already installed one cell on his truck and since then, he says the gas is 35% more efficient. The problem is, if it’s not certified by the EPA, Benedict can’t promote that people use the system because it hasn’t really been tested.

Colleen Crowninshield manages the Clean Cities Program with the Pima Association of Governments. She says she’s glad more people are looking for ways to cut down on gas and help clean the environment. However, she has a concern. “If they don’t do it right, they’re going to be stuck,” she says.

Crowninshield says there is no sound proof that it works, but Benedict says he is certain that his system does work. “It’s quieter, cleaner, more efficient, with more horsepower, and with less emissions,” he says.