BMW start the practical testing of their hydrogen powered test fleet of specially adapted X5’s
After four years of development, BMW has announced that they will begin an important part of their hydrogen fuelled cars: practical testing. A crucial step as the world races to become net zero by 2050 and the sale of fossil-fueled cars to be banned in 2035 in the UK.
BMW states that the iX5’s are now on the public road, initiating the start of the testing. Set to take over the course of this year, the cars will be an important tool for the testing team gaining valuable knowledge of the practical strengths and limitations of this technology.
“One technology on its own will not be enough to enable climate-neutral mobility worldwide”
The hydrogen fuel cell system is designed in-house by BMW, and acts as a way of them seeking to really understand the technology. They recognise that electric vehicles cannot be the only answer to the proposed legislation by the government. BMW bigwig Oliver Zipse stated “Hydrogen is the missing piece in the jigsaw when it comes to emission-free mobility”. He commented further saying “one technology on its own will not be enough to enable climate-neutral mobility worldwide”.
Regarding the fuel cells, BMW’s website says: ‘The BMW Group receives individual fuel cells from the Toyota Motor Corporation. These two companies have been collaborating successfully for many years, and have been working together on fuel cell drives since as early as 2013.’
How it will work
We know that the hydrogen ‘engine’ will act as a generator to charge a lithium-ion battery, with power being sent to the rear wheels via BMW’s 5th generation of electric motor. They boast that the maximum output of this configuration is around 400bhp – so it should be quite spritely, given the weight.
The gaseous hydrogen required to supply the fuel cell is stored in two 700-bar tanks made from carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic. This means that the total weight of hydrogen on board will be around 6kg, much less than a conventional fuel tank in a petrol/diesel car. With a range of around 313 miles, it should prove to be quite efficient, as refilling the tanks only takes a couple of minutes.
This news comes after the German brand recently announced a cull of some of their diesel vehicles and the introduction of a new electric 5-series. Whilst hydrogen does have its limitations, it could be the answer to a cleaner future.
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