Hydrogen isn’t dead — BMW teases i X5 with space-saving fuel cell system that offers emissions-free motoring for up to 385 miles | Tech Radar

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Hydrogen isn’t dead — BMW teases i X5 with space-saving fuel cell system that offers emissions-free motoring for up to 385 miles

Battery electric, hybrid or hydrogen? BMW wants to offer it all

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BMW believes there is life left in hydrogen powertrains

Engineers say it is a true BMW X5 with no compromises

BMW is forging ahead with its Neue Klasse range of electric vehicles, which already includes the i 3 that will serve as a next-generation electric version of the popular 3 Series, as well as the more conventional SUV shape of the i X3.

Building on this line up, BMW is also readying the next iteration of its 5 Series, beginning with an all-new X5.

The sleek bodywork of the i X5 has already been snapped by a number of spy photographers, but the German marque has now officially revealed that it plans to produce a variety of powertrains on the same production line, including pure electric, plug-in hybrid and... hydrogen.

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Despite extremely low levels of uptake for fuel cell vehicles, which promises the same filling times as conventional combustion engines with nothing but water emitted from the tailpipes, BMW feels there is still life left in the technology.

So much so that its engineers have come up with a novel way of packaging the system so that seven, 700 bar high-pressure hydrogen tanks lay flat side-by-side and form part of the powertrain.

According to its designers, the unique set-up combines the fuel cell system and the marque’s latest high-voltage battery design, as well as boasting the Heart of Joy drivetrain and chassis control software, as well as BMW Dynamic Performance Control that have had plaudits raving about the i X3.

“Think of it as installation Tetris: every customer gets the drive system best suited to their needs and a true BMW X5 with no compromises,” explains Dr Joachim Post, member of the board of management of BMW AG responsible for development.

Furthermore, the clever packaging of the hybrid system means it doesn’t impede on interior roominess, while the 7kg of stored hydrogen can be filled in less than five minutes and go on to provide up to 385 miles of emissions-free motoring when fully brimmed.

BMW says it will introduce the Hydrogen model into its i X5 line-up by 2028.

Read to the very end of BMW’s hydrogen announcement and it is revealed that the project has been co-funded by the state of Bavaria to the tune of €82 million, while Germany’s Federal Ministry of Transport is adding a further €191 million into hydrogen research projects.

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Often lauded as the perfect middle-ground between battery electric vehicles and combustion engines, thanks to its rapid refuel times, hydrogen has largely failed to find an audience, with only select markets, such as South Korea, continuing to pursue the technology.

In fact, research by the UK Energy Research Centre found that battery electric vehicles outsold hydrogen fuel-cell models by 1,000-to-1 at time of writing in 2025, and that more Ferraris were sold each year than all makes and models of fuel-cell vehicle combined.

Europe has around 200 stations, while there were just 89 stations in the USA at the last count. It’s clearly not a popular option and, despite a huge amount of developmental work by the likes of Toyota and Hyundai, it remains a slow burner.

Despite industry experts and Germany's policy makers clearly believing that hydrogen should still play a part in tomorrow’s energy mix, battery EV technology is accelerating at the sort of pace that can't be ignored.

With several Chinese brands now proving that EV charging times can take as little as five minutes, it seems counterintuitive to invest in the infrastructure required to create a reliable hydrogen refueling network.

What’s more, research has shown that producing hydrogen comes with serious carbon emissions unless done so using green energy sources, such as wind or solar.

The UK Energy Research Center concludes in its analysis that even if green hydrogen could be produced with zero emissions, every megawatt-hour of clean electricity used to make hydrogen is one less that could replace coal or gas on the power grid, or go into powering electric vehicles.

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Leon has been navigating a world where automotive and tech collide for almost 20 years, reporting on everything from in-car entertainment to robotised manufacturing plants. Currently, EVs are the focus of his attentions, but give it a few years and it will be electric vertical take-off and landing craft. Outside of work hours, he can be found tinkering with distinctly analogue motorcycles, because electric motors are no replacement for an old Honda inline four.

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• Hydrogen isn’t dead — BMW teases i X5 with space-saving fuel cell system that offers emissions-free motoring for up to 385 miles