BMW kicks off on-road testing of the i Hydrogen fuel cell-powered prototype in Europe.
From the outside, the prototype is the latest-gen X5, except for its blue decorations. The real change happens 0n the inside, where the combustion engine has been replaced with an FCEV powertrain combined with fifth-generation BMW eDrive technology.
A controlled chemical reaction inside the fuel cells between hydrogen contained two carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic tanks and oxygen from the air, powering the electric motor and leaving behind only water vapor. As per BMW, this results in an output of 170 horsepower. That might not sound like much, but it’s worth mentioning that energy is also stored in a separate performance buffer battery used for dynamic acceleration maneuvers and short bursts for overtaking. The combined system produces 374 horsepower, which is on par with BMW’s six-cylinder petrol engine.
“Hydrogen fuel cell technology can be an attractive option for sustainable drive trains – especially in larger vehicle classes. That is why road testing of near-standard vehicles with a hydrogen fuel cell drivetrain is an important milestone in our research and development efforts,” said Frank Weber, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Development.
In this testing phase, BMW firm evaluates the performance of its hydrogen fuel cell powertrain when installed on the existing X5 architecture. Rigorous field testing with real-time traffic conditions will help engineers ensure the proper functioning of all the elements. Furthermore, the carmaker wants to perfectly align the software that governs all driving and operational tasks and deliver BMW-worthy trust, comfort, and driving experience.
BMW is not a newcomer to hydrogen technology as the company has been testing it from as early as the 2000s and offered the world’s first production-ready hydrogen vehicle in 2005. The German automaker named it Hydrogen 7, and it incorporated a 6-liter V12 that ran on both gasoline and hydrogen. However, just 100 of them were manufactured for high-profile clients to test the car’s capabilities.
If everything goes as planned, BMW aims to introduce the i Hydrogen NEXT by 2022. Unfortunately, only a limited number of units will be up for grabs. More details regarding the price and availability in specific markets should be revealed closer to the launch date.
We’ll keep you posted!
