BMW plans to start mass-producing a fuel cell car in 2028. The electric SUV is part of a now announced closer collaboration with the Toyota Group. Both vehicle manufacturers want to work together to bring the next generation of fuel cell technology onto the road.
The Munich-based company has been testing a pilot fleet of fuel cell cars based on the X5 SUV since last year. They are still keeping quiet about whether the series model, which has been discussed for some time, is based on a further development or a successor to the luxury crossover. Hydrogen technology is expressly only intended to be an option in the series alongside battery-electric drives, plug-in hybrids and possibly combustion engines. BMW sees the fuel cell as a supplement to e-mobility and an important mainstay alongside battery-electric vehicles. Despite BMW’s announcement, it remains doubtful that the fuel cell will play an important role in the electrification of road traffic in Europe. Apart from the Bavarians, only Toyota and Hyundai offer corresponding vehicles in the passenger car sector, and Honda has at least announced another model. The registration figures are homeopathic, the number of filling stations almost even more. There are also currently many questions about the availability and price of green hydrogen. BMW emphasizes the role of hydrogen as a storage medium for renewable energies. The classic advantages of fuel cell vehicles also include the theoretically short refueling time and a good range. In both cases, however, some battery-electric e-cars have already overtaken fuel cell vehicles. A real advantage for car manufacturers, however, could be the fuel cell’s lower dependence on Chinese raw materials and batteries. The technology also offers interesting applications outside of cars.
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