BMW’s co-development efforts with Toyota isn’t stopping with the Supra.
Even as battery-electric vehicles court all the attention, some automakers are still putting at least some of their chips into hydrogen car development. Toyota’s been in the game for the past several years with the Mirai, and Honda has the new CR-V e:FCEV (in California, at least). Now, though, BMW announced Thursday that it is working with Toyota to develop its “first-ever series production fuel cell model that will arrive on the market by 2028. The automakers say they will “push this locally zero-emission technology to the next level” with this new hydrogen car.
Those who’ve been keeping their ears to the ground know that BMW does, in fact, have its own fuel cell vehicle with the iX5 Hydrogen. BMW plans to build that vehicle in extremely limited quantities (only about 100 units), so this upcoming model will be the first to launch on a wider scale, hence “series” production.
BMW did not mention exactly what kind of vehicle is coming down the pike to fulfill it hydrogen-focused ambitions. However, it did say the company would co-develop the powertrain system for passenger vehicles, and use Toyota’s third-generation fuel cell stack. BMW continues in explaining this decision that it sees hydrogen as a viable alternative to battery-electric cars — as the electric motors and electronics could be shared with BEVs — as well as internal combustion vehicles. Hydrogen, BMW argues, also addresses the issue of BEVs’ inability to drive longer distances or tow without completely annihilating driving range.
Most likely, we’ll see a hydrogen vehicle emerge on BMW’s “Neue Klasse” platform, where it could incorporate a fuel cell option in certain markets.
But here’s the rub: You still can’t discuss hydrogen vehicles in the modern context without mentioning the “I” word: infrastructure. To that end, BMW states that both companies “are advocating the creation of a conducive framework by governments (read: tax incentives) and investors to facilitate the early-stage penetration of hydrogen mobility to ensure its economic viability. At the moment, establishing a hydrogen fueling station is far too cost-prohibitive for any individual automaker, or even a small consortium of those who are currently working on hydrogen vehicles as a crucial part of personal transportation.
Will it actually happen, and will this new hydrogen-powered BMW arrive at a price point set to entice American buyers? Will American buyers even have an appetite for fuel cell cars, given the recent slow-down in widespread EV adoption that is, in part, down to price? We’ll have to wait and see, but we should have more concrete details on what’s coming out of this development in the coming months and years.
