- The BMW iX5 hydrogen fuel cell SUV is currently in limited production and will begin testing in some regions next spring.
- Based on Regular BMW X5The iX5 adds a fuel cell compartment, an electric motor and batteries, as well as a new deck for mounting hydrogen tanks.
- BMW car believes that both electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles are essential to combat climate change, with the iX5 as a potential precursor to future models.
Along with a growing number of automakers, BMW says it is committed to fighting global climate change and aims to be carbon neutral by 2050. However, unlike many automakers, , the German brand believes that hydrogen fuel cell vehicles will play a key role in achieving that goal. , besides battery-powered vehicles, of course.
Leading the way is the new hydrogen-powered BMW iX5 SUV, which has just begun to be produced in small numbers. It was first previewed a few years ago by i Hydro Next Concept appeared at the 2019 Frankfurt auto show. Starting next spring (2023), a small batch of iX5s that BMW is currently building will hit the roads in select regions of the world for testing purposes. .
Based on the conventional BMW X5, built at the company’s plant in Spartansburg, South Carolina, the iX5 is assembled at the BMW Research and Innovation Center in Munich, Germany. The transition from the X5 to the iX5 includes swapping out an all-new floorboard to accommodate the fuel cell system’s two hydrogen tanks located under the center tunnel and the rear seats of the mid-size SUV. The fuel tanks have a total capacity of about 16 pounds and power a fuel cell stack under the hood combined with an electric motor and rear-mounted battery.
BMW says the iX5’s entire battery-fuel-electric system produces a total of 374 hp. The company also says its limited weight is comparable to the X5 plug-in-hybrid, weighs 5627 pounds on our scales. BMW claims the iX5 can accelerate from zero to 62 mph in less than seven seconds and has a top speed of 118 mph. It also has an estimated driving range of around 310 miles, although that claim is based on the optimistic European WLTP cycle.
BMW believes that fuel cell powertrains will provide a carbon-free alternative for customers with needs that electric vehicles cannot meet, such as those who need to refuel quickly and cannot afford it. fast charging. The company also thinks hydrogen power will help offset the challenges facing electrification, especially with mid- and heavy-duty trucks. Other problems the technology is supposed to solve include areas with limited grid capacity and renewable resources. In addition, BMW said that more than 40 countries worldwide currently have strategies related to hydrogen energy and cited the ongoing construction of hydrogen refueling stations since 2020.
Currently, the BMW iX5 is being produced purely as a test program, but it could lay the groundwork for future BMW fuel cell vehicles. In a similar news, Honda recently announced plans to build a hydrogen-powered CR-V, which would make it the third hydrogen model sold in the United States. Only time will tell whether fuel cell technology is as viable as BMW hopes.
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This content was imported from a poll. You can find the same content in a different format or you can find more information at their website.
