BMW Korea held the “BMW iX5 Hydrogen Day” on the 11th and 12th at the BMW Driving Center in Incheon, sharing its vision for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
The BMW iX5 Hydrogen, a pilot model of BMW’s hydrogen fuel cell technology, reflects the BMW Group’s vision for eco-friendly future mobility and its strategy “Power of Choice” for drivetrain diversification.
Dr. Jürgen Gultner, who oversees hydrogen technology at the BMW Group, stated, “In the future, energy will transition from traditional fossil fuels to various renewable sources such as wind and solar power.” He emphasized that utilizing hydrogen as an energy source for long-distance transport and storage is economically more advantageous and enables faster decarbonization than relying solely on electric cars.
He also mentioned, “BMW is developing hydrogen fuel cell vehicles as an alternative for future mobility alongside existing internal combustion engines and electric vehicles.”
The BMW Group systematically promotes the development of hydrogen fuel cell technology as an additional option for carbon-free personal mobility. The BMW iX5 hydrogen, based on the BMW X5, showcases the vision for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (FCEVs).
The powertrain of the BMW iX5 Hydrogen consists of a rear-mounted drive unit and a specially developed lithium-ion battery for this model. The Powertrain integrates the electric motor, transmission, and power electronics into a compact housing utilizing 5th generation BMW eDrive technology, delivering a maximum output of 401 horsepower. It accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in under 6 seconds.
The hydrogen supplied to the fuel cell is stored in two 700-bar carbon fiber reinforced plastic tanks, capable of holding approximately 6 kg of hydrogen fuel. Filling the tanks takes only 3-4 minutes, and the BMW iX5 Hydrogen can travel about 500 km (WLTP standard) on a single hydrogen refill.
The BMW Group strives to achieve complete climate neutrality across the entire value chain. It plans to accelerate decarbonization by utilizing hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, which possess potential on par with pure electric vehicle technology.
Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles require around 100 kg less raw materials compared to pure electric vehicle production, with only about 10% of the raw materials needed for battery production when compared to electric vehicles. Additionally, platinum, the main raw material for fuel cells, has a high recycling rate, making it efficient in terms of resource reuse and recycling.
Hydrogen fuel cell technology is expected to become a key component of the BMW Group’s drivetrain portfolio for carbon emissions-free mobility in the future.
Meanwhile, having initiated its electrification strategy with the pure electric vehicle BMW i3, BMW has launched various electric vehicles such as the iX, i4, iX3, and i7, and popular plug-in hybrid models like the 530e and 330e that combine internal combustion and electric vehicle technologies.
BMW plans to develop its hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, starting with the iX5 Hydrogen pilot model, along a roadmap similar to that for existing electric vehicles and PHEVs.
Lee Sang-jin daedusj@autodiary.kr