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Audi h-tron concept reveals hydrogen research (pictures)

Audi showed off its new h-tron concept at the Detroit auto show, giving a window into its research intro hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.

Wayne Cunningham
Wayne Cunningham reviews cars and writes about automotive technology for CNET's Roadshow. Prior to the automotive beat, he covered spyware, Web building technologies, and computer hardware. He began covering technology and the Web in 1994 as an editor of The Net magazine.
Wayne Cunningham
Audi h-tron concept
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Audi revealed its h-tron concept at the Detroit auto show, giving a look at the sort of research the company is doing on fuel cell technology.

Audi h-tron concept
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Instead of an internal combustion engine, the h-tron uses a fuel cell stack in front and hydrogen storage tanks in the rear, producing 110 kilowatts. In addition, an onboard battery pack stores an extra 100 kilowatts of electricity.

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Audi used a car similar to its Allroad, a large wagon, for the h-tron's body, giving it plenty of internal space.

Audi h-tron concept
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Blue highlights in the headlamps distinguish the h-tron's clean drive technology.

Audi h-tron concept
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With a 90-kilowatt motor in the front and a 140-kilowatt motor in the back, receiving electricity from the fuel cell, the h-tron is a true quattro.

Audi h-tron concept
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As with other fuel cell vehicles, the only emission from the h-tron is water.

Audi h-tron concept
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Typical with concept cars, the h-tron uses cameras instead of side-view mirrors.

Audi h-tron concept
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More than just a drivetrain concept, Audi finished the interior of the h-tron.

Audi h-tron concept
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The dashboard emphasizes Audi's research into eliminating buttons and dials for infotainment control.

Audi h-tron concept
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Instead of its current switchgear, the h-tron uses an OLED touchscreen at the front of the console, an idea shown off in earlier Audi concepts.

Audi h-tron concept
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Building on the Virtual Cockpit technology Audi released in its production TT and Q7, the h-tron uses an LCD instrument panel with more futuristic graphics.

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