Rahul SomvanshiBMW has debuted five new BMW iX5 Hydrogen vehicles in the Middle East to showcase the company’s dedication towards individual and sustainable mobility. Hydrogen has well known potential for complementing electromobility, and will actively contribute to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. BMW’s commitment to hydrogen aligns with their ambition to become one of the world’s most sustainable premium car manufacturers and mobility solutions providers. The BMW iX5 Hydrogen was first presented as a concept in 2019, and its USP is the highly efficient next-generation fuel-cell system.
The hydrogen required to supply the fuel-cell is stored in two 700-bar tanks made of carbon-fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP). Filling up the hydrogen tanks just takes three to four minutes, so the BMW iX5 Hydrogen can deliver the driving pleasure for which BMW is renowned over long distances, with just a few brief refueling stops along the way.
The iX5 Hydrogen has a handy range of 504 km (313 miles) in the WLTP cycle, along with rapid refueling, making it a highly advantageous alternative to traditional EVs, especially in areas with limited charging infrastructure. California has 81 hydrogen refueling stations and will receive the first batch of BMW’s iX5 Hydrogen SUVs in the US as part of a global pilot program. BMW is partnering with Toyota to speed up development and share the costs of developing hydrogen fuel cell technology.
Oliver Zipse, BMW Group Chairman, has promised to launch a viable hydrogen car before the end of the decade. BMW’s latest project is a move to prove that the future of cars does not have to be all about electric batteries. The iX5 Hydrogen can travel distances of up to 310 miles (500 kilometers) with a total output of 400 hp (295 kW).
BMW boasts a continuous power output of 170 hp (125 kW) from the fuel cells, while the fifth-generation eDrive setup gets an additional 227 hp (170 kW). Due to the experimental nature of the prototype, there are rules that prevent BMW from simply releasing the iX5 Hydrogen SUVs to the public. BMW is currently figuring out a plan to get the iX5 Hydrogen SUVs into the hands of as many members of the media and other useful stakeholders as possible.
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