AMERICAN FUEL VEHICLES

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS - The name of the company is Intergalactic Hydrogen. Intergalactic. It conjures up images of technology far from the here and now.

The two - both car mechanics - started the company almost a decade ago in a remote area near Steamboat Springs. The headquarters is Fred's garage.

The company's concept is simple, while the implementation of the concept is rather complex.

The two convert gasoline-powered vehicles into vehicles that can run on various forms of fuel such as hydrogen, natural gas, ethanol and biodiesel.

Earlier this week, the duo had their head and hands under the hood of a 2008 Chevy Suburban. They were in the process of adding a natural gas system.

"It'll have the ability to run all over the country without ever using gasoline again," Tai said.

The effort is part of their campaign against petroleum.

"We need to stop using it all together," Tai said. "If we use all of (the alternative fuels), we have the ability to be energy-independent right now."

While the world may be crying for alternatives to gasoline, it may come as a surprise that the Robinsons are part of a very small community nationwide working on such conversions.

That's mainly because the Environmental Protection Agency prohibits conversions that don't go through a certification process.

"We have to make sure what's happening to the car doesn't harm the environment," said Cathy Milbourn, an EPA spokesperson.

The EPA can levy fines against those who convert a car without certification.

The Robinsons have opted out of the certification process saying the cost associated with it is impossible to absorb for a small business.

While the certification process may present an obstacle to companies like Intergalactic Hydrogen, the Robinsons said the most daunting obstacle right now sits at the pump.

"We'd get 200 calls a day with this last spike of gas prices," Tai said.

"I haven't gotten but one call a week since it dropped below $2," Fred said finishing up Tai's sentence.

Still, the duo is confident business will pick back up.

"Get yourself prepared to use a cleaner fuel because you're going to be happy once the prices start to go back up," Tai said.

A conversion through Intergalactic Hydrogen costs between $10,000 and $12,000. They mainly work on large SUVs.

Also, even though the EPA frowns upon uncertified conversions, Colorado's Division of Motor Vehicles will register vehicles that have undergone such conversions.