Audi Scoops Up Fuel-Cell Patents

Audi A7 h-tron quattro concept (Credit: Audi )

Audi just took a serious step forward toward a bright new future of fuel-cell vehicles. The German luxury brand announced it is buying a number of patents from Ballard Power Systems, which is a pioneer in hydrogen fuel cells. The acquisition is big news not only because it means there will be some hydrogen-powered Audis in the future, but also because the automaker plans to share the tech with all VW Group brands. That means conceivably the future could hold a VW Golf, Lamborghini Huracan, or Porsche 911 that uses fuel cells instead of an internal combustion engine.

The news isn’t too much of a surprise, considering that Audi and sister brand Volkswagen have paraded out a number of fuel-cell concepts in the recent past. One prime example is the A7 h-tron quattro, which previewed what a performance-oriented fuel-cell vehicle would potentially look like. The purchase of the patents likely means that at least some of the concepts will be evolving into production models. Right now there’s no apparent timeframe for Audi or other VW Group brands to bring fuel-cell vehicles to market.

Currently there’s a big dogfight going down between fans of electric vehicles and the growing fuel cell movement. Few people so far seem to support both alternative fuel options, while certain automakers like Volkswagen and Honda have expressed an interest in using both sets of technologies to migrate further from vehicles that burn fossil fuels. The electric charging infrastructure is growing rapidly in the United States, but automaker and others are making forward progress with establishing a hydrogen fuel delivery network as well. Still, California contains virtually all hydrogen refueling stations, which will be a major hurdle the technology must overcome.

If you have never heard of Ballard Power Systems, you’re not alone. The company is based out of British Columbia and says it has shipped in excess of 215 megawatts of fuel cells, which have been used in stationary power generation.