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Audi Announces It’s ‘Mastered’ Hydrogen, Unveils First Fuel Cell Vehicle
dailycaller ^ | 3:23 PM 11/19/2014 | Giuseppe Macri

Posted on 11/19/2014 2:35:31 PM PST by ckilmer

Audi Announces It’s ‘Mastered’ Hydrogen, Unveils First Fuel Cell Vehicle

3:23 PM 11/19/2014
Dr Ulrich Hackenberg, board member for Technical Development for Audi, discusses the Audi A7 Sportback h-tron Quattro during the car  

Audi announced it has mastered hydrogen fuel cell technology at the LA Auto Show Wednesday, where the company unveiled its new sustainable model — the A7 Sportback h-tron quattro.

The German auto giant’s new entry into the plug-in hybrid market features a hydrogen fuel cell and twin electric motor drivetrain in the front and rear of the vehicle, which can carry the car some 341 miles between three-minute refuelings. The electric battery alone can carry the car about 31 miles on a single two to four-hour charge, depending on the connection.

Altogether the h-tron’s all-green drivetrain cranks out 228 horsepower and separates the front and rear axels entirely for full electronically managed torque distribution. According to Audi, the A7 Sportback h-tron quattro can do 0-62 m.p.h. in 7.9 seconds and hit a top speed of 112 m.p.h.

“The A7 Sportback h‑tron quattro is a genuine Audi – at once sporty and efficient. Conceived as an e‑quattro, its two electric motors drive all four wheels,” Audi technical development leader Ulrich Hackenberg said. “The h‑tron concept car shows that we have also mastered fuel cell technology. We are in a position to launch the production process as soon as the market and infrastructure are ready.”

Audi-A7-Sportback-H-Tron-2 Audi-A7-Sportback-H-Tron-9


TOPICS: Business/Economy
KEYWORDS: audi; energy; fuelcellcar; greenenergy; h2; hydrogen; hydrogencar
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To: Crazieman

“Well if we had a brain, we’d have nuke plants coupled with desalinization and electrolysis.”

Hydrogen is still very difficult to store or ship. So there would never be a large hydrogen production plant coupled with a nuke plant. Now, it could be argued that nuke plants could provide cheap electricity, which is easily shipped to our homes...and we could use ‘in home’ electrolysis set-ups. However, just speaking for my own personal situation -the cheapest power in my neck of the woods (eastern Kansas) is coal. We have a nuke plant, and the power from it costs more than the coal plant.


21 posted on 11/19/2014 2:55:52 PM PST by lacrew
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To: Crazieman
Real tech, not the fake subsidized crap.

Agreed. My son follows cars and the industry and points to one problem with Hydrogen- it takes a lot of electricity to make Hydrogen from electrolysis. So they potentially pollute more than gas..

22 posted on 11/19/2014 2:56:59 PM PST by 11th Commandment ("THOSE WHO TIRE LOSE")
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To: ckilmer

Fuel cells are a far better alternative than a pure electric car. The Achilles heal of all electric cars is the battery. Batteries have a lmited range and take too long to recharge.. Imagine taking your electric car on a long trip and having to stop every few hundred miles or less and waiting an hour or more to recharge compared to a quick fill up of hydrogen.


23 posted on 11/19/2014 2:58:19 PM PST by The Great RJ
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To: thackney

Politicians love to fetishize about ‘hydrogen fuel cells’...

...and they have no idea what they’re talking about.


24 posted on 11/19/2014 2:58:32 PM PST by lacrew
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To: ckilmer

I love my gasoline powered A6 but would consider an alternative fuel source vehicle.


25 posted on 11/19/2014 3:00:33 PM PST by South40 (Hillary Clinton was a "great secretary of state". - Texas Governor Rick Perry)
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To: lacrew

Since they are claiming a 3 minute fill-up, they are talking about liquid hydrogen. My Honda holds 17 gal of gasoline. This liquid hydrogen powered vehicle would require a 6x17=102 gal tank i.e., a trailer is required to carry the liquid hydrogen. When you need a fill-up just pull into a station and hookup to a new trailer.


26 posted on 11/19/2014 3:01:16 PM PST by robert14 (cng)
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To: robert14

I assume they compress the hydrogen.

(Just don’t tell anyone that takes energy)


27 posted on 11/19/2014 3:04:00 PM PST by lacrew
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To: ckilmer

Who can afford to buy an Audi?...


28 posted on 11/19/2014 3:04:46 PM PST by hosepipe (" This propaganda has been edited (specifically) to include some fully orbed hyperbole.. ")
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To: robert14

Never answered is how do you refill the hydrogen? Currently almost any idiot can refill the gas in their car. Worn nozzles aren’t much of a problem. But with any compressed gas you need a trained person and connections that are in perfect shape. Do they currently let a person refill their own propane tanks? No.


29 posted on 11/19/2014 3:10:35 PM PST by Hillarys Gate Cult (Liberals make unrealistic demands on reality and reality doesn't oblige them.)
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To: hosepipe

A person who owns an upscale garage. Takes care of all of the time it’s going to spend in one also.


30 posted on 11/19/2014 3:12:40 PM PST by Hillarys Gate Cult (Liberals make unrealistic demands on reality and reality doesn't oblige them.)
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To: ckilmer

Just as soon as they get the hydrogen mines and the hydrogen pipelines in full operation, the idea becomes entirely feasible.

The supply and distribution of hydrogen is the big bottle neck now.

Hydrocarbon-fueled internal combustion engines are still the most highly developed and widely available propulsion system on this planet.

More’s the pity. This concentration of engineering capability has sort of stunted the development of other, and potentially much more efficient, means of providing independent propulsion power.

Personally, I would prefer to develop an EXTERNAL-combustion engine, with a full regenerative cycle, reclaiming most of the heat created by burning fuel, and coupling it to an hydrostatic pump system to provide propulsion to the wheel drive.

An example of an external-combustion power unit would be either a steam engine or a Stirling-cycle hot air engine.


31 posted on 11/19/2014 3:13:33 PM PST by alloysteel (Most people become who they promised they would never be.)
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To: ckilmer

We are in a position to launch the production process as soon as the market and infrastructure are ready.”

...

Which means never. Yet another company playing PR tricks.


32 posted on 11/19/2014 3:15:54 PM PST by Moonman62 (The US has become a government with a country, rather than a country with a government.)
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To: ckilmer

Hydrogen Fuel-Cell Cars Not Viable, Says Volkswagen CEO:

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1083046_hydrogen-fuel-cell-cars-not-viable-says-volkswagen-ceo


33 posted on 11/19/2014 3:16:50 PM PST by Signalman
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To: Fledermaus
I’ll wait and see. I can remember dozens of “we’ve mastered fusion” and “we’ve mastered superconductivity”.

As well as that cure for cancer which is always "right around the corner".

Big frigging corner, that one.

34 posted on 11/19/2014 3:17:11 PM PST by Jeff Chandler (Doctrine doesn't change. The trick is to find a way around it.)
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To: Moonman62

What? You mean to tell me that Audi isn’t really going to build these cars?

I’m shocked.


35 posted on 11/19/2014 3:19:25 PM PST by lacrew
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To: Jimmy Valentine

“Can you say “ Hindenberg”? In an accident that car will go off like a Roman Candle”

You mean this car will be coated in fabric and aluminized buterate dope? That could be very dangerous and might cause a Hindenbutrg type fire where the hydrogen later caught fire as well.


36 posted on 11/19/2014 3:23:17 PM PST by wrench (Ebola is not a threat to the US. 0bama says so, and he would never lie..........)
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To: ckilmer
Elon Musk: "Fuel cells are so Bullsh-t!"

...The only reason some automakers are pursuing hydrogen technology is for marketing purposes, that lithium batteries are superior mass and volume-wise for a given range, and that fuel cells are too expensive, Musk capped it all off with the safety issue. "Hydrogen is quite a dangerous gas. you know, it's suitable for the upper stage of rockets, but not for cars," he said.

37 posted on 11/19/2014 3:30:01 PM PST by Dagnabitt (Amnesty is Treason. Its agents and supporters are Traitors.)
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To: Dagnabitt

Given these safety problems, why do you think these companies are wasting money on this?


38 posted on 11/19/2014 3:31:04 PM PST by morphing libertarian
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To: Dagnabitt

Wonder how Elon would be doing if Tesla couldn’t make all their profit off those bullsh_t electric vehicle credits they sell to other manufacturers....


39 posted on 11/19/2014 3:31:32 PM PST by nascarnation (Impeach, Convict, Deport)
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To: ckilmer
Altogether the h-tron’s all-green drivetrain cranks out 228 horsepower and separates the front and rear axels entirely for full electronically managed torque distribution. According to Audi, the A7 Sportback h-tron quattro can do 0-62 m.p.h. in 7.9 seconds and hit a top speed of 112 m.p.h.

So, it's got mediocre horsepower, mediocre acceleration and a top speed that would have Corollas passing it on the Autobahn.

Nothing about range, either.

40 posted on 11/19/2014 3:31:42 PM PST by RegulatorCountry
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