Currently reading: Audi Q6 h-tron concept set for Detroit show debut

Audi is expected to showcase a hydrogen fuel cell-powered version of its Q6 e-tron quattro concept at January's Detroit show

Audi will reveal a hydrogen fuel cell-powered version of its e-tron quattro concept at the Detroit motor show in January.

German media reports suggest the Q6 h-tron will use the same MLB platform as the all-electric e-tron quattro concept. That car’s batteries, which were mounted low down to create the best possible centre of gravity, will be replaced with hydrogen fuel cells.

Although an Audi spokesman stopped short of revealing the car’s identity, it's been confirmed that “a concept car with new drive technology” is scheduled to be unveiled at January’s show.

Audi applied to trademark the phrase 'h-tron’ earlier this year. It’s already known the German manufacturer is looking to bring fuel cell technology to market, and in November we sampled the A7 h-tron. Audi engineers are said to have plenty of faith in hydrogen as a fuel, due to the ease with which it can be created, using wind turbines to 'crack' water into hydrogen and oxygen.

The Q6 h-tron’s styling is unlikely to vary much from the Q6 e-tron, with only minimal changes made to its exterior design. The Q6 e-tron will go on sale in 2018 as a rival to the Tesla Model X and costing around £60,000. The Q6 e-tron features three electric motors producing a combined 429bhp, with a claimed zero-emission driving range of 311 miles.

A production h-tron version is also likely to feature in the Q6 range, alongside traditional combustion-engined variants.

If the h-tron does make production, it will face competition from Hyundai’s ix35 Fuel Cell in the SUV market, as well as other hydrogen-powered cars like the Toyota Mirai and Honda’s upcoming FCV Clarity.

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pauld101 22 December 2015

Another go nowhere Volkswagen group story...

Audi clearly haven't done their homework - most of the hydrogen initiatives (usually showcased to transport Olympic competitors around the Olympic parks) have been dismantled because they just plain weren't economic. The cryogenic properties of materials, the costs, the low power density, the complexity, the entirely new distribution infrastructure and the health and safety issues all mitigate against it as a personal transport solution. But it is, of course a lovely green story, and diverts attention from the REAL issue (yes, you know what I mean). Of course it's not a lie, it's just a misrepresentation of the truth, propagated by a small number of marketing employees, without the complicity of VW-group management...
5wheels 19 December 2015

Hydrogen - YES YES !!

Delighted another maker is jumping on this band wagon. In this case VAG - let us hope they dont advertise as zero emissions and 500 mile range and end up in jail !!! Apart from that - the faster we dump diesels the better. I am proud to say I never owned this dirty smelly awful product. I was not too vocal about hating them, but just didnt like the emmisions and the soot and the smell and the dirty problem of refilling
fadyady 19 December 2015

A positive fall-out

Seems like a positive fall-out of the emissions scandal. Volkswagen has moved to the stage where they can at least conceive this alternative power train.
Adrian987 19 December 2015

1997

fadyady wrote:

Volkswagen has moved to the stage where they can at least conceive this alternative power train.

Their research has been from 1997 onwards, so the emissions thing in 2015 probably has little to do with their conceiving it, I would have thought. But, if the marketplace is ripening for such tech, then it makes good business sense to be getting their stake in the ground right now. Everything is in the timing of publicity, of course.