RIOT Technologies Hydrocar Premier
At the 2016 Moto Show in Krakow, Poland, the RIOT Technologies Hydrocar Premier has made its, well, premier. The prototype vehicle contains a hydrogen fuel cell which generates around 270 horsepower, 4WD (BLDC electric motors for each wheel) and a metal hydride hydrogen tank.
According to AGH.edu.pl, “The car is a unique design developed by a team of engineers and scientists, in collaboration with a number of external companies. It is a prototype double-type roadster sports car equipped with an electric drive. As a running base has been used specially designed and constructed frame construction, along with the body formed entirely of carbon fiber. With this technology, the supporting frame of the vehicle gives flexibility in placing the mobile components and the body in turn may have a unique design developed only limited by design assumptions. The design of the shape of the body and execution of composite structures are responsible brothers Władysław Hamiga (graduate AGH) and Stefan Hamiga (graduate ASP).
“The prototype car was designed as a road car and it features in such systems as power steering, xenon headlamps, the lights in LED technology, leather steering wheel, upholstery, low-profile tires, suspension threaded adjustable and two comfortable seats for the driver and passenger. From a technical point of view the most important, however, are sub-components of the car, which are a kind of test laboratory for testing of advanced propulsion systems and energy conversion systems.”
Besides the fuel cell, the Premier carries two types of battery packs to help propel the vehicle and power the onboard systems. Lightweight LiFePO4 battery packs are in the front of the car and are used for quick discharges of electricity. In the rear of the car are traction batteries which are used for distance driving and longer electrical discharges.
Unlike other fuel cell vehicles currently on the market the Hydrocar Premier uses low pressure metal hydride tanks for storage of hydrogen.
The RIOT Technologies Hydrocar Premier can be driven by a driver, normally behind the wheel. In addition, the vehicle’s central on-board computer allows a person to drive the car remotely by mobile application. And, wait, there’s more. If this isn’t enough, the car is also built so that it can interface with autonomous control systems (self driving) so that no driver is needed at all.
The next step for the Hydrocar Premier prototype is the advanced experimental testing phase where all of the systems will be vigorously tested with the hope that some of the advanced technology in this car will one day end up in the commercial marketplace.
References
http://www.agh.edu.pl/blog-naukowy/info/article/hydrocar-premier-samochod-na-wodor-rodem-z-agh/ – See the English Translation courtesy Google Translate here: Hydrocar Premier
https://twitter.com/hydrocarpremier
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U89F-2D0Mfk