BMW Group Hydrogen Technology.
As the energy transition continues, hydrogen has tremendous potential as a fuel of the future. Storable and transportable, it can be used in all kinds of ways. So, alongside electrical battery power, sustainably sourced hydrogen offers a further potential technology for sustainable individual mobility. That’s why the BMW Group is advocating not just for a better-developed charging grid but for an infrastructure of hydrogen filling stations as well.
With over 40 years of experience in hydrogen and more than 20 in fuel-cell technology, the BMW Group is a pioneer in alternative drive technologies. Its BMW iX5 Hydrogen fleet was developed and manufactured in Munich.
BMW iX5 HYDROGEN – A PILOT PROJECT FOR H2-POWERED CARS.
For the BMW iX5 Hydrogen, the BMW Group developed the world’s most powerful passenger-car fuel-cell system and a special, dedicated battery. Together, these two elements enable consistently high speeds and an electric output of 295 kW (401 hp) in total. Find out more about the development, production and workings of the BMW iX5 Hydrogen from our video.
TESTING WORLDWIDE.
Since 2023 the BMW iX5 Hydrogen has been out on the road in various parts of the world to demonstrate the technology and test it in different weathers and terrains. Hot-weather tests have exposed the vehicles to temperatures of up to 45°C as well as sand, dust, various inclines and fluctuating levels of humidity – and they performed impressively throughout.
Hydrogen technology has also proven suitable for everyday use in extreme sub-zero temperatures, the fuel-cell drive performing just as well as a conventional combustion engine. Full system output is available within moments of the car starting, and not even the coldest conditions are enough to compromise range.
The pilot fleet is currently on the road in Europe, Japan, Korea, China, the US and the Middle East. The goal of the trial is to prove the day-to-day usability of hydrogen cars and learn more about the technology to support the development of a potential series product.
WORK FOR PROGRESS: TRANSFORMATION OF THE MOBILITY SECTOR.
Hydrogen technology is a new and fascinating area within the field of drive technology and combines the best of both worlds: the advantages of electric driving and zero emissions, with the added benefit of fast refuelling like conventional vehicles. This section tells you more about key details and the components that will drive future mobility – from the fundamentals through to the refuelling infrastructure.
BRIGHT MINDS COLLABORATE ON FUEL CELL SYSTEMS BY THE BMW GROUP.
A core component of the BMW iX5 Hydrogen is the fuel-cell system, which offers consistently high output of 125 kW/170 hp. The individual cells are manufactured for the BMW Group by the Toyota Motor Corporation. The two companies have long been partners and have been collaborating on fuel-cell drives since 2013.
The fuel-cell system is manufactured in two stages. First of all, the cells are stacked, then all the other components are fitted. The casing for the stack is made at BMW Group Plant Landshut.
TECHNOLOGY DRIVES INNOVATION.
The drive of the BMW iX5 Hydrogen consists of an innovative combination of fuel cells delivering 125 kW/170 hp, an electric motor from the BMW Group’s Gen-5 range of BMW eDrive technologies, and a specially developed battery. Together, these offer a combined output of up to 285 kW/401 hp . Underpinning the BMW X5-based hydrogen car is a framework of two hydrogen tanks, the fuel cells and the electric motor.
Inside the fuel cell, hydrogen from the tanks reacts with oxygen from the atmosphere to produce electricity to power the motor. The dedicated hydrogen components – including the high-revolution compressor with turbine and the high-voltage coolant pump – were also developed by the BMW Group.
THE FUTURE OF REFUELLING.
Refuelling a hydrogen car is a lot like refuelling a car with a combustion engine: filling the tank takes just three to four minutes. The two tanks in the BMW iX5 Hydrogen can hold a total of 6 kg of the gas , giving the vehicle a range of 504 km in the WLTP cycle. Compared with recharging a battery-electric car, hydrogen refuelling is faster and therefore especially useful for long-distance travellers. By trialling its pilot fleet worldwide, the BMW Group is doing much to support the development of a hydrogen fuel infrastructure to serve passenger cars as well as commercial vehicles. An international hydrogen network is a prerequisite for us to launch our offer to customers.
HYDROGEN IN PLANT.
BMW Group plant logistics has been using hydrogen for over a decade. In 2013 we erected Germany’s first indoor hydrogen station – at Plant Leipzig. But we are also trialling hydrogen technology to decarbonise transport logistics beyond the factory gates, as a partner in research projects such as H2HAUL and HyCET. Within the company, the paintshop at Plant Leipzig is currently piloting the use of hydrogen in vehicle production.
