New BMW iX5 Hydrogen primed for 385-mile range
Novel tank storage system is claimed to have unlocked additional miles for the incoming fuel cell model
When we last caught up with the iX5 Hydrogen, it was to share some good news: the version that BMW had been endlessly testing around the globe would, in the not-too-distant future, become a production reality. Meaning that by 2028, when the firm was expected to have larger-scale fuel cell manufacturing safely underway, we should be able to walk into a BMW dealership and be presented with a choice of five (count ‘em) powertrain options. In partnership with Toyota, it will be the firm’s first series-production hydrogen-powered model.
In the meantime, despite already being in the third generation of its shared technology, we understood that there was still much tinkering to be done. Now, with the all-important i3 successfully launched, BMW has found time to update us on its progress. Granted, the news that it will be adopting new tank technology - the system dubbed BMW Hydrogen Flat Storage for seemingly obvious reasons - might lack the shiny appeal of a Neue Klasse saloon, but it is notable nonetheless.
First and foremost, because the manufacturer suggests that the size and new arrangement of the tanks have permitted a bigger range - up to 385 miles, all being well. While this falls short of the distances claimed by a new generation of EVs, the iX5 Hydrogen comes with the obvious advantage of very fast (i.e. five minutes, according to BMW) refuelling from empty. Assuming, of course, that you’ve found somewhere in the UK to supply the hydrogen in the first place - but let’s not get bogged down in that persistent issue.
Secondly, while it may not look revolutionary, the new arrangement is said to make ‘exceptionally efficient use of the space it occupies in the vehicle’, which is convenient for two reasons. One, none of the iX5’s interior has been sacrificed to accommodate the new tanks, and two, thanks to compatibility with BMW’s Gen6 high-voltage battery, cars that feature fuel cells can be assembled on the same production line as any other drive system, thereby reducing cost and complexity.
Thirdly, because BMW has squeezed its new metal frame (consisting of seven high-pressure tanks made from carbon fibre reinforced composite) into the existing body structure, it points out that the arrangement benefits from the ‘mechanical protection’ of the iX5’s architecture - which feels like a good thing when you’re carting about 7 kilograms worth of hydrogen pressurised to 700 bar.
For the record, the innovation is less in the tanks themselves than in this relationship with each other. Instead of individual pressure valves, BMW has created several chambers that form an enclosed unit, which is itself controlled by a central main valve— a development sufficiently novel for it to be the subject of several patent applications. “Our new storage concept allows us to fit the hydrogen drive system into the new X5 precisely and in a way that saves space,” preached company CTO, Dr Joachim Post. “Think of it as installation Tetris: every customer gets the drive system best suited to their needs and a true BMW X5 with no compromises.” Roll on 2028, eh?
Now just waiting for the usual PH key board warrior suspects and negative comments that the only way is EV - nothing else . Then the blinding of science etc etc
I wonder how long the life of these canisters will be?
And once 'out of date' will there be adequate legislation to force their replacement? We all know someone who skimps on servicing.
Will we see Cat N cars without a proper and expensive safety tests sold back into the market via Copart and the like, literally like UXB's?
While I personally prefer ICE, I have nothing against EVs and accept that, in the future, the vast majority of new cars will be electric. I might own EVs in the future, I might not. I'm genuinely trying to be pretty open-minded about the whole thing. With that in mind, I find it a bit weird that some folk seem so upset by hydrogen and keep claiming it has no place. If it was the dead-end that some claim, no one would be bothering, especially given the financial strife in the industry right now.
It's like some folk are desperate to prove that the technology they prefer is "right", and that everyone else is wrong. Such militancy about metal boxes and the stuff that powers them is really quite bizarre. The world is big place, with lots and lots of people in it. While it might not play a role in the UK, hydrogen might work in some places for some people. If that's the case, I'd rather manufacturers were trying to innovate and find the best solutions to meet the needs of end users, rather than stubbornly claiming one solution is better than all the others. That's exactly the kind of closed-minded thinking that stunts technological and societal progress.
I wonder how long the life of these canisters will be?
And once 'out of date' will there be adequate legislation to force their replacement? We all know someone who skimps on servicing.
Will we see Cat N cars without a proper and expensive safety tests sold back into the market via Copart and the like, literally like UXB's?
k it lets bang something together.
TX.
The UK government never seem to have a strategy that works to me...when it comes to cars anyway.
TX.
The UK government never seem to have a strategy that works to me...when it comes to cars anyway.
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