BMW iX5 HYDROGEN.

The pilot fleet of the BMW iX5 Hydrogen is not intended for sale. Depending on the market requirements and general conditions, we envisage potentially offering our customers a production vehicle in the second half of this decade. The small series is an important step on the way to making this offer available to customers.

The BMW Group is producing the highly efficient fuel cell systems in a separate competence centre for hydrogen in Munich. It obtains the individual fuel cells from the Toyota Motor Corporation.

Just like a battery electric vehicle (BEV), a hydrogen or fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) has an electric drive – in fact the identical electric motor. The main difference is the energy storage system: instead of electricity in the battery, gaseous hydrogen is stored in tanks and converted into electrical energy for the drive unit by means of the fuel cell. The main advantage for drivers is that a hydrogen car can be completely refuelled in 3-4 minutes. Therefore it permits the usage behaviour familiar from combustion engine vehicles – with all the benefits of electromobility.

A hydrogen vehicle is powered electrically. A fuel cell produces electricity from hydrogen for this purpose. The only things that come out of this reaction are electrical energy, heat and water, which emerges as water vapour. A hydrogen vehicle is therefore locally emission-free.

Safety has top priority for us. Our vehicle meets all the relevant safety standards. Before even starting any of the road trials, we conducted extensive crash tests and met all the legal requirements both at component and vehicle level. The BMW iX5 Hydrogen complies with the same high safety standards as all of our other vehicles.