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Automotive

Audi turns to hydrogen at NAIAS with h-tron concept

By Aaron Turpen
January 11, 2016
Audi turns to hydrogen at NAIAS with h-tron concept
The h-tron concept combines a 110 kW fuel cell (at peak) stack and a 100 kW-capable battery with two electric motors, one on each axle
The h-tron concept combines a 110 kW fuel cell (at peak) stack and a 100 kW-capable battery with two electric motors, one on each axle
View 27 Images
The electric motor on the front axle delivers 90 kW (121 hp) and the rear axle motor produces 140 kW (188 hp)
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The electric motor on the front axle delivers 90 kW (121 hp) and the rear axle motor produces 140 kW (188 hp)
This hydrogen fuel cell vehicle includes both advanced fuel cell technology and piloted driving tech
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This hydrogen fuel cell vehicle includes both advanced fuel cell technology and piloted driving tech
Audi says the h-tron has a 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) acceleration of under seven seconds
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Audi says the h-tron has a 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) acceleration of under seven seconds
The h-tron concept combines a 110 kW fuel cell (at peak) stack and a 100 kW-capable battery with two electric motors, one on each axle
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The h-tron concept combines a 110 kW fuel cell (at peak) stack and a 100 kW-capable battery with two electric motors, one on each axle
Climate control from the rear seats is futuristic
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Climate control from the rear seats is futuristic
Piloted driving and automated parking are being showcased in the h-tron
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Piloted driving and automated parking are being showcased in the h-tron
The on-board hydrogen tanks in the h-tron quattro hold enough fuel to power the vehicle up to 600 kilometers (372.8 miles) in one fill
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The on-board hydrogen tanks in the h-tron quattro hold enough fuel to power the vehicle up to 600 kilometers (372.8 miles) in one fill
The piloted driving tech in the Audi h-tron gives the driver the option of allowing the car to take control during stop-and-go traffic at speeds up to 60 km/h (37.3 mph) and during self-parking maneuvers
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The piloted driving tech in the Audi h-tron gives the driver the option of allowing the car to take control during stop-and-go traffic at speeds up to 60 km/h (37.3 mph) and during self-parking maneuvers
The Audi h-tron concept features seating for four with bucket seats in all positions
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The Audi h-tron concept features seating for four with bucket seats in all positions
A new zFAS driver assistance controller centers the self-driving technology from the user’s perspective
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A new zFAS driver assistance controller centers the self-driving technology from the user’s perspective
The infotainment screen includes powertrain efficiency displays
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The infotainment screen includes powertrain efficiency displays
During piloted driving, the center stack changes to a quick-glance informational display that shows the virtual world the car "sees"
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During piloted driving, the center stack changes to a quick-glance informational display that shows the virtual world the car "sees"
The overall display for the driver of the h-tron
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The overall display for the driver of the h-tron
Cutaway drawings of the h-tron concept show the Audi's powertrain on the whole
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Cutaway drawings of the h-tron concept show the Audi's powertrain on the whole
Positioning of the hydrogen tanks ahead of and behind the rear axle as well as below the transmission tunnel show the intended weight distribution of the h-tron
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Positioning of the hydrogen tanks ahead of and behind the rear axle as well as below the transmission tunnel show the intended weight distribution of the h-tron
A chassis breakaway pinpoints the build of the hydrogen fuel cell system's components
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A chassis breakaway pinpoints the build of the hydrogen fuel cell system's components
The hydrogen delivery system for the fuel cell stack
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The hydrogen delivery system for the fuel cell stack
The electrical system for the electric drivetrain is shown in this cutaway of the h-tron concept
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The electrical system for the electric drivetrain is shown in this cutaway of the h-tron concept
Combining the H2 and EV systems completes the powertrain for the h-tron
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Combining the H2 and EV systems completes the powertrain for the h-tron
The Audi h-tron's fuel cell stack uses a common sandwhich configuration for H2 and O2 mixing for harnessing hydrogen ions
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The Audi h-tron's fuel cell stack uses a common sandwhich configuration for H2 and O2 mixing for harnessing hydrogen ions
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The electric motor on the front axle delivers 90 kW (121 hp) and the rear axle motor produces 140 kW (188 hp)
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The electric motor on the front axle delivers 90 kW (121 hp) and the rear axle motor produces 140 kW (188 hp)
The Audi h-tron unveiled at NAIAS 2016 in Detroit
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The Audi h-tron unveiled at NAIAS 2016 in Detroit
The Audi h-tron unveiled at NAIAS 2016 in Detroit
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The Audi h-tron unveiled at NAIAS 2016 in Detroit
The h-tron concept combines a 110 kW fuel cell (at peak) stack and a 100 kW-capable battery with two electric motors, one on each axle
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The h-tron concept combines a 110 kW fuel cell (at peak) stack and a 100 kW-capable battery with two electric motors, one on each axle
The Audi h-tron unveiled at NAIAS 2016 in Detroit
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The Audi h-tron unveiled at NAIAS 2016 in Detroit
The Audi h-tron unveiled at NAIAS 2016 in Detroit
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The Audi h-tron unveiled at NAIAS 2016 in Detroit
View gallery - 27 images

Audi has unveiled a technology study at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) as the Audi h-tron quattro concept. This hydrogen fuel cell vehicle includes both advanced fuel cell technology and forward-thinking piloted driving tech.

The h-tron concept combines a 110 kW fuel cell (at peak) stack and a 100 kW-capable battery with two electric motors, one on each axle. The electric motor on the front axle delivers 90 kW (121 hp) and the rear axle motor produces 140 kW (188 hp). This gives a 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) acceleration of under seven seconds, Audi says. The company has not released torque values for the motors.

A chassis breakaway pinpoints the build of the hydrogen fuel cell system's components
A chassis breakaway pinpoints the build of the hydrogen fuel cell system's components

The on-board hydrogen tanks in the h-tron quattro hold enough fuel to power the vehicle up to 600 kilometers (372.8 miles) in one fill.

Piloted driving and automated parking are also being showcased in the h-tron. These technologies are planned for production in 2017 with the new A8 sedan. A new zFAS driver assistance controller centers the technology from the user's perspective, computing the surroundings of the car in real-time. This gives the driver the option of allowing the car to take control during stop-and-go traffic at speeds up to 60 km/h (37.3 mph) and during self-parking maneuvers.

Source: Audi

View gallery - 27 images

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AutomotiveAudiHydrogen-poweredDetroit Auto Show 2016
3 comments
Aaron Turpen
Aaron Turpen
Aaron is a Wyoming-based automotive journalist with interests in electronic and engineering technology. Outside of New Atlas, Aaron is a prolific writer, father of two, and would-be chicken farmer.

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3 comments
Skipjack
The problem with hydrogen powered vehicles is that they really don't improve anything compared to gasoline powered cars. Most of the hydrogen today is made by splitting methane (and other fossil fuels) into hydrogen and carbon oxides. So they don't really bring a big improvement for the environment. They also mean that the consumer is still dependent on the same suppliers that he is now, which means that he gains very little economically. So what is the point?
inchiki
interesting to see hydrogen car technology advancing. It seems possible that with advancements in methane cracking (when the carbon is safely removed from methane/natural gas as a powder) it could soon be possible to convert fossil fuels to safe and clean hydrogen fuels. Petroleum companies will be happy with that solution as they no longer get stuck with stranded assets.
swaan
With GM starting to produce the Bolt this year with 145$/kWh cells (not packs) - hydrogen will be dead on arrival. It still costs a lot. The filling stations cost a lot more and there aren't any of them. Compared to battery electrics the efficiency is horrible. Take those LG cells Bolt is using , say 130kWh worth and the h-tron would have the same range, be less complex and a lot less expensive! After 600km I most certainly would need to go eat so recharging at that point is not really an issue.