BMW can build a few examples but you cannot buy one.
The 2021 Munich Motor Show does not feature all electric vehicles. We are used to hearing Hyundai’s hydrogen ambitions. But BMW has not given up on fuel-cell technology. The iX5 Hydrogen will be unveiled by BMW at IAA Mobility 2021. BMW will actually use hydrogen-powered iX5s to transport the public at IAA Mobility 2021.
Although the iX5 shares an exterior appearance with the X5M, you won’t find a twin-turbocharged 4.4 liter V8 that produces 617 horsepower (460 kilowatts) under the hood. Instead, the cover hides electrical equipment underneath. Although the hydrogen-fueled SUV produces a much smaller 168 hp (175 kW), BMW claims that the iX5 Hybrid can produce 369 hp (295 kW) for situations that require more power. Performance is not the goal here.
BMW believes hydrogen can be used in motoring in areas that aren’t easily accessible for high-speed electric charging. BMW envisions a future in which battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) will be available alongside fuel cells, similar to the current-day mix of gasoline and diesel. However, this is dependent on the development of hydrogen infrastructure, which at this time is virtually non-existent. The iX5 can fill its carbon-fiber tanks with 13 pounds of hydrogen with the help of fueling stations, and it will do so in just four minutes.
Frank Weber, who is a member the BMW board of management for design, stated that hydrogen fuel cell technology could be a viable option for sustainable drivetrains, especially for larger vehicle classes. “This is why we consider road testing near-standard vehicles equipped with a hydrogen fuel cells drivetrain an important milestone in research and development.”
BMW plans to build fuel cell vehicles in future, but for now the iX5 is a test vehicle. While several vehicles will be built to evaluate the technology, there is no hydrogen fueling infrastructure so the future of fuel cells vehicles remains uncertain.