A prototype Aston Martin will become the first hydrogen-powered car to compete in an international motorsport event when it takes to the track in next month’s Nürburgring 24 hour race, which takes place on May 19th-20th.
The modified Aston Martin Rapide S’ twin-turbo 6l V12 engine will use a hybrid system developed by Austrian engineering firm Alset Global that enables the car’s internal combustion to run on pure gasoline, pure hydrogen or a blend of both. With a top speed of 190mph, the car can reportedly reach 62mph in 4.9 seconds.
The system works by incorporating two parallel fuel injections systems connected to the same engine, and uses a proprietary engine management system that adjusts and controls all of the engine’s variables so that it can maintain the same engine performance. The hydrogen will be stored in four carbon-fibre tanks holding 3.23kg of gaseous hydrogen.
According to Alset, the hybrid hydrogen system can be fitted to conventional engines relatively easily, and would increase a car’s price by around 15 per cent.
‘We are providing a unique, clean solution for the premium and performance segment and demonstrating that going green does not require sacrificing emotions.’ said Jose Ignacio Galindo, CEO of Alset Global. ‘Our system offers the highest power density of all built and existing hydrogen cars and, because it is compatible with nearly all current internal combustion engines, it is the most affordable and simplest to implement.’
Good that AM have found a new way of publicising their cars, but that’s what this is, publicity.
13kg of, presumably, compressed Hydrogen gas costs an extra 15% on a cars price. As vapourised Petrol/Diesel is around 99% Hydrogen when burnt this 13kg adds about 4 gallons equivalent of fuel. In 4 expensive Carbon Fibre tanks. Ridiculous!
I think it’s been said before, but Hydrogen cannot be an effective automotive fuel until someone comes up with a process for storing hydrogen in Liquid form at normal ambient temperatures and releasing the energy contained without expensive equipment or using exotic materials.
JohnK, agreed, an interesting link between a manufacturer, all of whose products are irrelevant and beautiful, to a technology that is at best a distraction, at worst dangerous, and definitley a diversion from the real issues. Hydrogen cars have zero relevance without green electricity. Or nuclear.
I think the equivalent fuel capacity is a little more than you suggest, JohnK, but it is all still wholly irrelevant.
To call it clean in the current electical generation environment is a blatant lie.