The Audi H-Tron Concept Is A Hydrogen-Powered SUV With A Sexy Interior
With all eyes on VW Group after the Dieselgate scandal, the company really needs to shove as many alternative fuel vehicles down our throats to fix its image. Happily it’s doing rather well, given that already this month we’ve had the electric VW Budd-e concept at CES, and now this: the Audi h-tron (because lowercase letters mean futuristic and eco-friendly, obviously).
It’s a striking-looking thing - a little like a Q7 of the future - and is packed full of clever technology. It’s powered by a hydrogen fuel cell, which is backed up by a lithium-ion battery used for energy recuperation and boosting.
The three hydrogen fuel tanks are each constructed from several layers, and can be filled in four minutes to give 372 guilt-free miles of range. If that wasn’t enough eco-friendliness, there’s also what’s described as the “world’s largest in-car solar roof” which generates an extra 320 watts of power.
The fuel cell powers a pair of electric motors - a 90kW (121bhp) unit on the front axle, and a 140kW (188bhp) one at the rear. The 210kW (282bhp) total output makes the h-tron good for 0-62mph in under seven seconds, while at the top end it’ll keep going until it hits a 124mph electronic limiter.
The cleverness continues on the inside, with a jolly nice-looking interior featuring a trio of ridiculously thin OLED screens for the driver. Two are touch screens, while the third is curved, and there are also touch sensitive surfaces on the steering wheel. Oh, and it’ll even make your life easier when loading up, by scanning the luggage you’re about to chuck in and telling you the “optimum loading order”, which would make that frustrating game of ‘boot Tetris’ a thing of the past.
Fancy checking this thing out in the metal? It’s on display now at the Detroit motor show.
Growing up on a diet of World Rally Championship highlights and lengthy Gran Turismo 2 sessions, a life in cars was as good as inevitable for Matt.
Comments
I WANT TO PLAY BOOT TETRIS
The rear reminds me of something….
Are there enough hydrogen fuel pumps for this to be worth the investment for VW? Also I doubt this will make it to Europe for a while, because a) EU doesn’t tend as much towards SUV’s like America and b) there are even fewer hydrogen fuel pumps on this side of the pond than in the US.
It’s a cool concept, and they’ve pulled off the really futuristic looking look without looking completely out of place.
I live in Berlin and there’s a hydrogen fuel pump about 10 minutes away from me. i don’t know who refuels there, but the last time I was there it said “Ready with 700Bar pressure”, so it has to be active.
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Did Gillette design the grill?