The Ecovia, which will operate on energy produced by hydrogen fuel cells and stored in a battery, is expected to be ready in three months, UNAM said.

The vehicle will be able to carry two passengers in the front and cargo in the rear.

The university said it planned to use the Ecovia for security patrols, traffic control and delivering mail, among other tasks.

"This vehicle has another advantage: when it's not moving, the energy generated by the fuel cells is stored in a battery so it can be used later," Ecovia project coordinator and chief designer Gerardo Arzate said.

If there is no hydrogen available for the fuel cells, the vehicle's batteries can be recharged from a wall outlet.

The Ecovia is noiseless and does not emit carbon dioxide or any other pollutants, releasing only water vapor into the atmosphere.

UNAM is the first Mexican public university to completely cover the funding for this type of a project, which has cost 4 million pesos (some $392,000) and taken two years. EFE