The new X5 will become the first model to offer five drive system options, including battery electric, plug-in hybrid, gasoline, diesel, and hydrogen fuel cell technologies.
On September 22, BMW Group announced the official launch of its third-generation hydrogen fuel cell system, which has now entered the trial production phase for the first batch of prototypes.
The third-generation hydrogen fuel cell system represents a significant technological breakthrough.
According to official information, the new system features a more compact design, requiring approximately 25% less space; it is highly integrated and seamlessly compatible with future vehicle models; its efficiency has significantly increased, offering longer range, higher power, and lower energy consumption.
According to the plan, the third-generation hydrogen fuel cell system will enter mass production in 2028 and will first be equipped in the all-new BMW X5.
BMW’s involvement in the hydrogen fuel cell sector dates back to 2013.
At that time, BMW Group began collaborating with Toyota Motor Corporation to jointly develop hydrogen fuel cell drive systems. Since the summer of 2015, BMW’s R&D department has been testing hydrogen-powered drive systems, co-developed with Toyota, on a fleet of BMW 5 Series GT hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
In 2016, the two companies signed a product development cooperation agreement, committing to the development of fuel cell drive systems for future mobility and scalable modular components for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
According to the initial plan, BMW was to begin small-scale production of the next-generation hydrogen fuel cell electric drive system based on the BMW X5 in 2022, with the goal of offering fuel cell vehicles to customers as early as 2025.
The mass production plan announced today, targeting 2028, indicates that BMW Group has once again adjusted the timeline for the mass production of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. By then, the new X5 will become the first model to offer five drive system options, including battery electric, plug-in hybrid, gasoline, diesel, and hydrogen fuel cell technologies.
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