The 400-HP BMW iX5 Hydrogen Raves 313 Miles of Range and 100 Miles-per-Pound Fuel Economy

With an unspecified number of "less than" 100 cars available as test mules, the fleet of BMX iX5 Hydrogen will be put into service worldwide to various customers for long-term, real-life usage. First presented to the general public at the IAA 2019, the concept sprouted into a series of prototypes two years later. The final version of the fuel cell electric vehicle began assembly last summer, and in late 2022 the car was ready to experience the hassle and stress of everyday action.

In this otherwise chemically-complex and high-tech clad initiative, BMW's main argument is the fuel cell system (the brainchild of the company's development efforts) for the pilot fleet at its in-house competence center for hydrogen in Munich. The continuous output of 125 kW/168 hp/170 ps is attainable from the chemical reaction between the stored hydrogen and atmospheric oxygen.

To raise the efficiency of the Toyota-sourced fuel cells, the tech-savvy minds from BMW's engineering team developed their own components (the Bavarian carmaker points out the high-speed turbo-compressor and the high-voltage coolant pump).

The highly efficient fuel cell (BMW's claims) works in tandem with a "traditional" electric power unit with a classic architecture. The fifth-generation BMW eDrive array of electric motor, transmission, and electronics share a housing on the rear axle. The hydrogen generator assembly sits under the hood. The two gas tanks (I'll explain momentarily) are mounted inside the floor, and central tunnel; the video accompanying this story gives a more detailed insight.

The BEV part of the iX5 delivers a power output of 170 kW/228 hp/231 ps, which takes the brawn of the hydrogenated BMW to a respectable 295 kW/396 hp/401 ps. During overrun and braking, regenerative braking pushes electricity back into the battery pack, with the motor now morphed into a dynamo.

I said "gas tanks" earlier, and the statement refers to gaseous hydrogen, not gasoline. With the containers filled to the brim with nearly six kilograms of the light element, the iX5 has a self-proclaimed autonomy of 313 miles (504 kilometers) – a good number for a car this size. The top speed of 112 mph (180 kph) and less-than-six-seconds 0-62 mph (0-100 kph) time are deemed satisfactory by BMW's electron-hugging techs.

In absolute values, the hydrogen mileage cataclysmically overshadows anything from the ICE realm. Nearly 198 miles per kilogram - 2.2 lbs (1.19 kg/100 km) - is a figure that puts the FCEV on top of the list of climate-friendly automobiles.

Stored in two high-pressure tanks, the hydrogen presents the advantage of short refuel stops instead of charging the batteries of a classic BEV. The 700-bar-resistant tanks (made of carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic, or CFRP) can be filled in as little as three minutes.

The X5-based BMW iX5 Hydrogen Sports Activity Vehicle prototype entered day-to-day factory testing in the summer of 2021, concluded a series of artic assessments in March 2022, and entered production in mid-2022. The German group did not specify the number of vehicles in this technology demonstrator pilot fleet, giving just an" under 100 units" range as the total production.