During the recent “Hydrogen Technology Day”, a small series production of the BMW i Hydrogen NEXT has been confirmed for 2022. This hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, unveiled in 2019, is based on the current BMW X5.

As a joint effort between BMW and Toyota, the fuel cell technology is from Toyota while the fuel cell stack and the overall system are from BMW.

Developing lithium-ion electric vehicles in parallel, BMW’s research and development on hydrogen fuel cells offers an alternative to the management of energy in electric vehicles.

Also Read: BMW i Hydrogen NEXT gets its fuel cells from Toyota

The fuel cell system in the BMW i Hydrogen NEXT is able to provide 170 PS of electrical power to the rear wheels.

With a high-voltage battery (fed by brake energy and energy from fuel cell) positioned above the e-drive providing additional boost, a total power output of 374 PS can be produced.

Also Read: Elon Musk calls hydrogen cars “mind-boggingly stupid”, but BMW still believes in them

The i Hydrogen NEXT is equipped with two 700-bar hydrogen tanks, which are able to hold 6 kg of hydrogen combined, and can be refilled within 3 to 4 minutes.

The electric motor used in the BMW i Hydrogen NEXT is the same fifth-generation e-drive used in the BMW iX3.

The hydrogen car’s range is yet to be confirmed, but BMW guarantees extensive range in all weather conditions. 

While BMW’s hydrogen car looks ready to hit the roads, further commitment is still necessary to enable hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.

Also Read: Toyota wants to use hydrogen save the internal combustion engine, when everyone else is giving up

There is still concern regarding the hydrogen filling infrastructure and requirements throughout the entire energy system, where green hydrogen must be available in sufficient quantities and produced at competitive prices for individual mobility.

During a visit to BMW’s component plant in Landshut, Deputy Minister-President of Bavaria and the state’s Minister for Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy, Hubert Aiwanger stated,

“I am convinced hydrogen technology will gain traction – and I am committed to making Bavaria a high-tech location for hydrogen technology. This is a constructive way of responding to the climate debate,”

“The focus now is on building a hydrogen infrastructure at national and international level, from production to application.”

Also Read: Listen to this hydrogen-burning engine driven Toyota Corolla race car vroom by