BMW has made significant strides with its development of a hydrogen-powered vehicle, while Volvo leads brands in calling for a scaling up of refuelling infrastructure.
The new BMW iX5 Hydrogen is undergoing a comprehensive testing programme at the Hydrogen Competence Centre in Munich.
Preparations are also being made at BMW’s Austrian plant in Steyr to industrialise and prepare for future production of the hydrogen fuel cell system.
BMW confirmed that it was taking steps to develop its first hydrogen fuel cell production vehicle, with a primary focus on the overall system.
It is aiming for the iX5 Hydrogen to have a range of up to 750 kilometres, as well as being able to refuel in less than five minutes.
BMW noted that the vehicle would be fully zero emission, while the fuel cell technology would “open up additional possibilities for locally emission-free individual mobility”.
Prototypes of the fuel cell system are being created in Munich and Steyr to develop the technology, while other parts are in production at its Landshut facility.
Josef Hochreiter, head of Hydrogen Vehicles at the BMW Group, said: “Our ambition for the BMW iX5 Hydrogen is clear: a true BMW – with Sheer Driving Pleasure. A perfectly coordinated overall system is crucial for this.
The BMW iX5 Hydrogen has started testing in recent months
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BMW
“Current testing demonstrates how the fuel cell system, high-voltage battery and electric drivetrain are already successfully integrated and how systematically we are developing the technology towards series production.”
Alongside the impressive proposed range and refuelling time, BMW is targeting an acceleration time from 0-100km/h in less than five seconds for the iX5 Hydrogen.
The third-generation fuel cell system currently being tested in the iX5 Hydrogen was co-developed by BMW and Toyota.
The Japanese brand is one of the few brands with a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle in full production, namely the Toyota Mirai.
The BMW iX5 Hydrogen has a targeted range of up to 750 kilometres
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BMW
Germany’s Federal Ministry of Transport and the State of Bavaria are helping to fund the development of the powertrain and tank system for the iX5 Hydrogen.
Claudia Stephan, head of Technology Development and Fuel Cell Prototype Assembly at the BMW Group, added: “Prototype assembly is about much more than manufacturing individual components.
“Each phase helps us optimise processes, gain experience and systematically share this knowledge with the teams in Steyr. In this way, we are laying the foundation for the next steps on the road to industrialisation.”
At the same time, industry leaders have come together to lay out plans to accelerate the rollout of hydrogen vehicles across Europe.
Leaders from across the industry have come together to share plans on how to accelerate the rollout of hydrogen-powered vehicles across Europe
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VOLVO
Speaking at IAA Transportation in Germany this week, a group of sector experts have called for more favourable market conditions to ensure the success of the technology.
Volvo Group, Daimler Truck, Toyota Motor Corporation, Bosch, and others highlighted how Germany has demonstrated the conditions needed for a scalable development of hydrogen trucks by 2030.
The group noted that uptake could be accelerated if hydrogen pump prices were competitive with diesel prices, as well as lowering the cost of new hydrogen vehicles.