Faced with an offensive led by electric, including at BMW with models such asiXIiX1, Ii4 or even the last one i7 the brand is not giving up on the hydrogen project. Presented as a prototype at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2019 BMW iX5 Hydrogen finally on our roads!
BMW iX5 Hydrogen: 4 years of development
Did you know about the BMW iX5 Hydrogen?
The BMW iX5 Hydrogen uses hydrogen fuel cell technology to enable emission-free local driving over longer distances – to enable even more electric driving.
More here: https://t.co/3JuX0OvuNp #BMWGroup #THEiX5Hydrogen #Hydrogen #You knew pic.twitter.com/J9hC136N4t—BMW Group (@BMWGroup) February 27, 2023
First presented as a prototype at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2019 BMW iX5 Hydrogen is about to enter a new phase of testing. After more than 4 years of development and testing in extreme conditions, the fuel cell SUV will be produced in hundreds of copies. At the moment, serial production is not planned.
BMW will proceed in stages and deploy its test fleet for demonstrations and trials for different “target groups”.
BMW iX5 Hydrogen: almost 401 hp. and a range of 504 km
This SUV works thanks to hydrogen. The latter, required to power the fuel cell, is stored in two tanks 700 barrels made of carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP). Together, they contain almost 6 kg of hydrogen. This is enough for the car to drive 504 kilometers according to the WLTP cycle. In absolute terms, this is less than the iX, a 100% electric SUV offered by the Bavarian firm, which offers 630 km of autonomy.
In contrast, the iX5 Hydrogen takes three to four minutes to fill its hydrogen tanks. As such, it has a serious advantage over electric models that require a few minutes to recharge.
In total, the SUV develops 295 kW (or 401 hp) of power thanks to the combination of a 125 kW (or 170 hp) fuel cell and a 170 kW battery. This is enough to reach a top speed of around 185 km/h and accelerate to 100 km/h in less than 6 seconds.
Production at the research plant in Munich
THE BMW iX5 Hydrogen produced at the research plant of the Science and Innovation Center named after BMW Group in Munich. It is a center that acts as a transition between the development and production phase. Each new model of the group is produced here for the first time. In this center, engineers ensure that the production process is ready for serial production. This is the transitional stage between development and production, when each new model of all the company’s brands is produced for the first time.
Hydrogen is old BMW history
This is not the first attempt of the Bavarian brand with fuel cell technology. We think, in particular, about BMW 520h with 1979, which showed the manufacturer’s first hydrogen engine. In 1997, the German brand developed its first fuel cell before introducing a Series 7 ” Clean energy on liquid hydrogen in 2000. Finally, in 2006, another car based on the 760Li was introduced with a hydrogen engine.
It wasn’t until 2019, 10 years after the discontinuation of the previous 7 Series Hydrogen project, that BMW returned to this technology with the iX5 Hydrogen.
BMW still wants to improve its technology to better adapt it to future customers. But the main drag is undoubtedly the hydrogen distribution network, which is still too poor today. In France, there are only about thirty stations throughout the territory. Figures that are set to grow by 2025.
Source: Auto Plus
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