By Contributor,Matthew MacConnell

Copyright forbes

BMW iX5 Hydrogen

Amidst an all-electric race, BMW will offer its new X5 SUV with a pure hydrogen powertrain, known as the BMW iX5 Hydrogen. The X5 will be offered with no fewer than five different fuel options: petrol, diesel, plug-in hybrid, iX5 EV, and iX5 Hydrogen when it arrives in 2028.

With help from Toyota, the iX5 Hydrogen will feature a fuel cell system powered by electricity, with key advantages including a more compact design, better efficiency, and increased power. The iX5 Hydrogen will also be the brand’s first hydrogen car, and will follow cars like the Hyundai Nexo and Toyota Mirai.

Joachim Post, board of management BMW AG development member, said: “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. Hydrogen has an essential part to play in global decarbonisation, which is why we are committed to driving the technology forward.”

While all-electric powertrains and infrastructure continue to move forward, hydrogen remains in a grey area, and so far, the environmental and cost impact of manufacturing hydrogen has been a tricky hurdle. The fuel, however, remains a potent option for cars because it could deliver zero emissions, and cars could be refuelled rapidly, versus electric alternatives.

BMW iX5 Hydrogen

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Although the technology is already being used in the heavy commercial vehicle market, BMW is backing public sector viability. The brand’s HyMoS (Hydrogen Mobility at Scale) initiative is designed to build hydrogen supply chains in Germany, so the fuel is more economically viable.

Hydrogen refuel options in Britain have diminished in recent years, while European infrastructure (Germany and France) has grown. Similarly, there are 74 hydrogen refill stations across the U.S., most of which are in California.

Although it’s difficult to say how efficient the BMW iX5 Hydrogen will be, the Toyota Mirai XLE delivers a real-world 331 to 375 miles on a single tank, and while rated at 74mpg-e combined by Toyota, some real-world tests have returned 62mpg-e.

Meanwhile, it takes around 5.5kg of hydrogen to refuel a 2021 Mirai’s tank, and stations typically charge $14 per pound, equating to about $175 per fill-up.

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