The BMW Group has ushered in a new era in the automotive world with the production of the BMW iX5 Hydrogen, a hydrogen-powered model, following extensive operations and development at the pilot plant at the BMW Group Research and Innovation Center in Munich.
The BMW Group occupies a leading position in endeavors to develop hydrogen technology, and views it as a promising technology for its next generation of vehicles, especially in the countries of the Middle East region, as the multi-stage sports car completed a multi-stage test program to reach the final design.
The BMW Group plans to launch the new model, which offers one of the best solutions for sustainable and carbon-free mobility, in several selected regions around the world, including the Middle East, as of spring 2023.
Frank Weber, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for the development, said: “Hydrogen is an essential source of clean energy and plays an important role in our drive to achieve climate neutrality. Hydrogen is of great importance in the mobility process, and thus multiple models that combine electric motor systems and fuel cells are considered a pioneering and more advanced approach in the long term. Fuel cells do not require any critical raw materials such as cobalt, lithium, or nickel, so by investing in this type of drive system, the company is greatly enhancing its own capabilities. The hydrogen fleet of the BMW iX5 will allow us to gain new insights and value, enabling us to offer customers an attractive range once the hydrogen economy becomes a widespread reality.”
The BMW iX5 Hydrogen combines all the advantages of zero-emissions driving systems, daily usability and long range capabilities, making hydrogen fuel cell technology a complementary and attractive alternative to the electric vehicle ecosystem. It is a particularly ideal option for customers who wish to supply fuel quickly at gas stations and travel long distances. This model is also suitable for the Middle East region, where a pioneering infrastructure suitable for charging is being developed at an accelerated pace.
The BMW iX5 Hydrogen is built in a pilot plant at the BMW Research and Innovation Center in Munich, where the company employs around 900 people who work in the body shop, assembly, model engineering, concept building and additive manufacturing to produce a new model that debuts on Market launch.
Milan Nedeljkovic, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for production, said: “The production of the BMW iX5 Hydrogen and the fuel cell systems developed by BMW demonstrate our superior flexibility and know-how in the field of manufacturing. We are proud of the specialized expertise and capabilities that work to integrate hydrogen technology into the BMW production system as an additional feature added to the future of driving.”
BMW Group Plant Spartanburg in the USA supplies a basic kit for the hydrogen model, which is developed on the BMW X5 chassis. The electric motor is located in the rear axle area together with the high-performance battery, and is a product of the fifth generation of BMW eDrive technology also used in BMW’s electric and plug-in hybrid models. The fuel cell systems under the hood of the BMW iX5 Hydrogen have been manufactured at BMW’s in-house Hydrogen Competence Center in Garching, north of Munich, since early August this year.
