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

By PH Staff / Thursday, 9 April 2026 / Loading comments

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?