BMW iX5 Hydrogen set for 2028 launch

BMW has confirmed its iX5 Hydrogen will enter production in 2028 following successful testing of the pilot fleet, making it the group’s first-ever series-produced hydrogen-powered model.

Further, the hydrogen fuel cell model will see the X5 range become the first in BMW’s portfolio to offer five different drivetrain technologies offering customers a choice of battery electric (BEV), plug-in hybrid (PHEV), petrol (P-ICE), diesel (D-ICE), and hydrogen fuel cell (FCEV) technology.

Dubbed the HyMoS (Hydrogen Mobility at Scale) initiative by BMW, the initiative is designed to promote the development of hydrogen ecosystems and refuelling stations in metropolitan areas and aims for an initial pilot implementation in Germany.

“By launching the new BMW X5 with a choice of five drive system variants, we are once again demonstrating our leading position as a technology pioneer,” said BMW development lead Joachim Post.

“Hydrogen has an essential part to play in global decarbonisation, which is why we are committed to driving the technology forward.”

As has been the case with technology partner Toyota, the BMW Group said it believes a wide-ranging portfolio of drive systems is the best way forward in reaching emissions targets while continuing to meet the varying demands and needs of its customers.

The iX5 Hydrogen uses Toyota’s third-generation fuel-cell stack and electrical system familiar to the Mirai FCEV.

BMW says the technology paves the way for a system with a more compact design that is both more powerful and more efficient than previous iterations, thereby increasing range and output while at the same time reducing energy consumption.

The German manufacturer says hydrogen is largely recognised as a promising future energy carrier for global decarbonisation, saying it acts as an effective storage medium for renewable energy sources, “helping to balance supply and demand and enabling a more stable and reliable integration of renewables into the energy grid”.

“Hydrogen is the missing piece for completing the electric mobility puzzle where battery electric drive systems are not an optimal solution,” it stated in a press release.

Like other OEMs invested in hydrogen technology, the BMW Group is equally committed in efforts to expand the hydrogen refuelling network.

It says the HyMoS initiative was established to support hydrogen ecosystems for mobility in cooperation with industry and institutional partners.

The aim of the initiative is to increase the economic viability of hydrogen mobility ecosystems by pooling the demand for all types of vehicles, including trucks, buses and passenger cars.

It aims to have a distribution of hydrogen refuelling stations that is optimised to meet the needs of FCEV customers and has commenced a pilot program leveraging existing hydrogen refuelling ecosystems in Germany and France.

The BMW iX5 Hydrogen can produce up to 295kW of motive power alongside a very useful 504km of driving range (WLTP). GoAuto’s Austraian drive review of the iX5 Hydrogen can be read here.