BMW is accelerating its energy diversification strategy. The German automaker confirmed plans to launch its first production-series hydrogen cars on the market in 2028. With support from Toyota for the fuel cell technology, BMW hopes to offer a credible alternative to 100-percent electric vehicles.
Why bet on hydrogen now?
BMW describes itself as a "technologically open" company, and that includes placing its best on more than just one single energy solution. Over the past several years, the automotive industry has invested heavily in battery electric vehicles (BEVs), but BMW is betting that hydrogen can attract drivers looking for more range and, just as importantly, ultra-fast refueling.
Unlike with BEVs, refueling with hydrogen takes only three to five minutes, on a par with refilling a gas tank in an ICE vehicle. This is a compelling argument for those on longer road trips, particularly in North America.
A technology co-developed with Toyota
This is not BMW's first foray into the world of hydrogen. After prototypes like the 535iA Hydrogen in 2014 and the BMW iX5 Hydrogen, the brand is taking a new step.
Its third-generation fuel cell was developed with Toyota but is primarily designed in-house. It promises to be 25-percent more compact and offer better energy efficiency, more power and greater range, all while being multi-platform compatible.
A market still in development
BMW doesn’t expect hydrogen cars to take over the market any time soon, if only due to the low number of refueling stations. But the automaker believes that hydrogen will find its place alongside BEVs and internal combustion engines.
To strengthen its position, BMW is leveraging the expertise of Toyota, a pioneer with its Mirai, while also investing heavily in its own in-house engineering to ensure performance and versatility.
