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Fuel cell-powered H-ROVER puts you in the NASA tech's seat

Fuel cell-powered H-ROVER puts you in the NASA tech's seat
Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies has unveiled its H-ROVER – a camera-equipped, fuel cell-powered, remote-control tracked model vehicle
Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies has unveiled its H-ROVER – a camera-equipped, fuel cell-powered, remote-control tracked model vehicle
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Users control the H-ROVER via their smartphone, tablet or PC, viewing a real-time video feed from its LED-equipped Bluetooth video camera
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Users control the H-ROVER via their smartphone, tablet or PC, viewing a real-time video feed from its LED-equipped Bluetooth video camera
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Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies has unveiled its H-ROVER – a camera-equipped, fuel cell-powered, remote-control tracked model vehicle
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Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies has unveiled its H-ROVER – a camera-equipped, fuel cell-powered, remote-control tracked model vehicle
The i-H2GO's upgrades include an Android/iOS-compatible smartphone-based gyroscopic remote control, higher top speed, and a better control system
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The i-H2GO's upgrades include an Android/iOS-compatible smartphone-based gyroscopic remote control, higher top speed, and a better control system
Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies' i-H2GO fuel cell-powered car, and its fueling station
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Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies' i-H2GO fuel cell-powered car, and its fueling station
The i-H2GO is priced at $129 – non-HYDROFILL refueling station included – and should begin shipping in March
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The i-H2GO is priced at $129 – non-HYDROFILL refueling station included – and should begin shipping in March
The H-ROVER is powered by two HYDROSTIK hydrogen fuel cells, and an onboard super-capacitor
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The H-ROVER is powered by two HYDROSTIK hydrogen fuel cells, and an onboard super-capacitor
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It’s probably safe to say that most of us will never get the chance to operate a Mars rover. While it is now possible to purchase remote-control miniature buggies with onboard cameras, most of them still seem like ... well, like toys. The H-ROVER, however, is a little different. Looking like it would be right at home trundling across the Martian topsoil, the little tracked vehicle is powered by a hybrid hydrogen fuel cell and super-capacitor system.

The H-ROVER is being unveiled today at the Nurnberg Toy Fair, and is one of the latest offerings from Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies. Previously, the company has also brought us the fuel cell-powered H-Racer and H2GO model cars.

Users control the rover via their smartphone, tablet or PC, viewing a real-time video feed from its LED-equipped Bluetooth video camera. Instead of conventional batteries, the vehicle comes with two of Horizon’s HYDROSTIK PRO hydrogen gas-absorbing metal hydride cartridges – these are in turn refilled using the included HYDROFILL PRO desktop hydrogen station, which extracts hydrogen from water stored in an integrated reservoir.

The HYDROSTIKs and the rover’s super-capacitor compliment one another, just like they do in some full-sized fuel cell vehicles. “Super-caps help acceleration while reducing the power/size requirements for the fuel cells, while fuel cells deliver the endurance power that super-caps cannot provide,” Horizon’s Taras Wankewycz told us. An onboard controller automatically switches between the two power sources as required.

The H-ROVER is powered by two HYDROSTIK hydrogen fuel cells, and an onboard super-capacitor
The H-ROVER is powered by two HYDROSTIK hydrogen fuel cells, and an onboard super-capacitor

The hybrid system results in a claimed run time of about one hour per fill, although Wankewycz noted that additional HYDROSTIKs can be added for longer runs. The platform is also designed to receive user-supplied add-ons such as robot arms or sensors, making it even more Mars rover-like.

While the H-ROVER doesn’t have the multi-million-dollar price tag of a NASA vehicle, it’s not exactly cheap, either – expect to pay around US$799, although keep in mind that the $575 HYDROFILL PRO hydrogen station is included.

Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies' i-H2GO fuel cell-powered car, and its fueling station
Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies' i-H2GO fuel cell-powered car, and its fueling station

The company is also unveiling the latest version of its H2GO car, now known as the i-H2GO. Upgrades from the previous model include Android/iOS-compatible smartphone-based gyroscopic remote control, higher top speed, and a better vehicle control system. It’s priced at $129 – non-HYDROFILL refueling station included – and should begin shipping in March.

Source: Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies

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