The New Audi Concept, Where H Stands for Hydrogen

Just revealed at the Detroit Auto Show this week and already making waves is the new Audi H-Tron “Quattro”. Whilst still in concept phase, The H-Tron appears to be pushing the frontier of electric cars into the realm of Hydrogen. This Audi concept car was immediately liked for its innovative engineering design and there was no denying its sporty good looks, however, the question of whether this concept will turn into reality remains to be seen. Like other hydrogen model cars that sought to breach our dependence on fuel and diesel, the H-Tron may well culminate at most, to just a noteworthy science experiment.

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This is not the first green machine, produced by Audi who are already expecting to release three plug-ins over the next few years, in the form of an A6, A7 and Q6. Yet as Audi, the parent company of Volkswagen, seeks to remedy their tarnished reputation as a result of the emissions scandal, they are working hard to lay down straight their green credentials, offering their buyers not just electric cars, but a hydrogen engine too.

The engineering configuration of the H-Tron Quattro includes a 110 kw hydrogen fuel cell with a 100 kw lithium-ion battery pack that together powers a 140 kw motor in the rear and another 90 kw motor at the front. Together they form a highly promising power train that should be capable of propelling this SUV wagon to 100km/h in seven seconds.

Now to the big question of refuelling, the stance on which all green cars start to lose their aura. The Audi H-Tron can refuel in a matter of four minutes and then power on until it finally exhausts a whopping 510 kilometers later. Like all other hydrogen cars, finding a hydrogen station to recharge on the road is going to be a challenge. To date hydrogen refuelling stations are still very much in short supply. Though as nifty green machines, such as the H-Tron become more common on the world’s roads, things looks like they could improve. After all, they say “Demand is the cause of all invention.”