Audi has unveiled the A7 Sportback H-Tron Quattro concept vehicle at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The model is powered by an electric battery pack with fuel cell stack, generating electricity from hydrogen and air and emitting only a few drops of water.
The A7 Sportback h-tron quattro is a genuine Audi – at once sporty and efficient – Prof. Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg
A7 Sportback H-Tron Quattro is a fuel cell powered vehicle with a plug-in hybrid setup. It has a lithium ion electric battery, which can give a range of 50 kms when driving only on pure electric. Apart from this, under the hood of Audi A7 H-Tron, you will find the fuel cell stack.
The car is powered by electric motors, one each in the front and rear, both independent. When the fuel cells are powering these motors, it eats 1 kg of hydrogen every 100 kms. Considering this, the car has capacity to hold 5 kg of hydrogen in its four tanks and has a range of 500 kms on full tank.
It takes a matter of three minutes to refuel the hydrogen tanks. These tanks indicate to refuelling system via infrared interface. It equalized pressure and temperature levels between 4 hydrogen tanks situated below the base of the trunk, in front of the rear axle and in the central tunnel.
The fuel cell itself comprises over 300 individual cells that together form a stack. The core of each of these individual cells is a polymer membrane. There is a platinum-based catalyst on both sides of the membrane.
Total power output of these electric motors stands at 228 hp and 540 Nm torque, giving the 1950 kg car a 0-100 kmph sprint time of just 7.9 seconds, and a top speed of 180 kmph.
At Los Angeles Auto Show, Audi will be calling on international motoring journalists to test drive the A7 Sportback H-Tron Quattro concept vehicle on public roads with a technology demonstrator. Having mastered fuel cell technology, Audi will be ready to launch the A7 Sportback H-Tron Quattro concept vehicle once the market and infrastructure are ready.
