Hydrogen-powered Audi h-tron quattro concept revealed
New Audi h-tron concept shows new hydrogen fuel system and previews autonomous tech for next A8 in 2017
This is the Audi h-tron quattro concept, a hydrogen-powered concept car that has been revealed at the 2016 Detroit Motor Show.
It's based on the Q6 e-tron that we saw at the Frankfurt Motor Show last year, and features a 110 kW hydrogen fuel cell with an extra 100 kW available temporarily from a battery as well. It uses around one kilogram of hydrogen per 100km (62 miles), and it takes about four minutes to fill up - in the same way as you would with a petrol or diesel car. The range is 373 miles - significantly more than many all-electric cars.
The system produces the equivalent of 308bhp and 550Nm of torque, so the h-tron quattro can go from 0-62mph in less than seven seconds and on to a top speed of 124mph.
Not only does this new concept show off a hydrogen fuel system, it's also autonomous - featuring a newly developed video camera, radar, laser scanner and ultrasonic sensors, plus Audi's latest 'zFAS' computer to act as the car's brain.
This means it can drive itself up to about 40mph, as well as letting drivers take their hands off the wheel on the motorway in short bursts. It can park itself too, and navigate traffic jams automatically.
The tech included on the car hints at what we will see on the next-generation Audi A8 in 2017, with piloted driving and parking systems in place that make sure the car can keep up when autonomous driving is more mainstream.
The interior could give us a glimpse of the new A8 too, featuring a new version of Audi's virtual cockpit with a large curved OLED screen in place of the dials, a touch-sensitive steering wheel, online connectivity and tablet-style screens for rear-seat passengers.
Get all the latest from Detroit Motor Show 2016 here...
