Audi has revealed the h-tron Quattro concept at the Detroit motor show. Expected to preview a future hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle from the German automaker, the concept borrows its chassis and much of its styling from the e-tron Quattro concept unveiled in 2015.
The h-tron Quattro concept is also based on the modified MLB platform that is set to underpin the next-gen Q5 with the hydrogen fuel cells stored in three carbonfibre-reinforced plastic tanks with the largest resting in the central transmission tunnel. The stack consists of 330 individual cells and develops a nominal 110kW (148bhp) of electricity.
Audi says that the fuel cell stacks have been designed to operate at temperatures of between -25 deg and 95 deg Celsius. The manufacturer also says that the new system requires lower amounts of platinum making it more feasible to develop, and uses a new heat pump capable of absorbing heat more efficiently.
The fuel cells are assisted by a 1.5kWh battery mounted under the passenger compartment that provides an additional boost of 100kW (134bhp) for short periods. The power output is through a DC converter mounted in the engine bay to equalise the power out before supplying it to the electric motors.
The car uses two electric motors, one mounted on each axle to propel the car. The front-mounted motor is rated at 121bhp while the rear motor develops 188bhp with each motor using a single-speed planetary gearset as a differential. Audi says the total system output of the car is 282bhp and 56.13kgm of torque with the car being able to sprint from 0-100kph in under seven seconds and a restricted top speed of 200kph.
The h-tron Quattro concept features a five-link suspension front and rear with air springs and offers adaptive damping and self-levelling function. The car comes equipped with rear-wheel steering.
In terms of styling, the concept's exterior looks near identical to that of the e-tron Quattro concept but with minor tweaks. Inside, the concept's dashboard features three OLED displays and the cabin can seat four. The entire design is heavily borrowed from the Prologue concept from the LA motor show 2014.
Offering a glimpse at the sort of autonomous driving technology we can expect to see on future Audi models, the h-tron Quattro comes equipped with the various technologies developed as part of the carmaker's so-called Piloted Driving research programme, including radar sensors, stereo cameras, ultrasonic sensors and a laser scanner.
The h-tron Quattro concept is expected to give rise to a production hydrogen fuel cell vehicle sometime in 2020 that will rival models like the Toyota Mirai and Honda FCV Clarity.
Dipan Sur
Viraaj Bhatnagar
