- BMW will launch its first manufacturing hydrogen-powered Gas Cell EV in 2028
- It stays bullish on the prospect of hydrogen regardless of a crumbling infrastructure within the U.S.
- Toyota, Honda, and Hyundai have all additionally invested in their very own hydrogen future
BMW has been exploring hydrogen drivetrains for a while—since 1979, consider it or not. It is truly constructed ideas from seven totally different fashions over the spam of 45 years. However in that point, it by no means introduced plans to place any hydrogen-powered automobiles into manufacturing regardless of some opponents launching fashions of their very own. Till now, that’s.
The German automaker has tapped Toyota for some assist in making ready to launch its first hydrogen-powered manufacturing automobile that folks can truly purchase.
BMW says that with the assistance of Toyota, the model will launch its very first hydrogen-powered Gas Cell EV (FCEV) in 2028. Toyota will present its third-generation hydrogen gasoline cell for the manufacturing automotive—that is the identical stack Toyota confirmed off in its hydrogen-powered Hilux idea late final 12 months.
The automaker did not reveal the total particulars about its upcoming FCEV, nonetheless, it did be aware that the automobile could be an present mannequin with a hydrogen gasoline cell drivetrain choice added on.
It is in all probability time to remind you that BMW’s final idea (pictured above) was referred to as the iX5 Hydrogen. BMW match a hydrogen gasoline cell stack into the automotive and used it along side its fifth-generation eDrive motor—the identical household of drive items discovered within the i4, iX, iX3, and i7.
What you in all probability did not know is the gasoline cell within the iX5 Hydrogen was additionally provided by Toyota. In actual fact, it is the identical gasoline cell stack within the second-generation Toyota Mirai. And earlier than that, BMW stuffed Toyota’s first-generation stack right into a 5-Collection Gran Turismo.
The model has traditionally been fairly optimistic about hydrogen. Like hybrids, it sees Gas Cell EVs as one other answer it might use to inexperienced its lineup. That is why BMW has been stress-testing the tech within the iX5 Hydrogen for just a few years now in preparation to launch the manufacturing model of its FCEV.
The model even constructed its Neue Klasses structure (which is changing the present Cluster Structure) to be forward-looking. When fitted with a hydrogen stack, automobiles constructed on BMW’s next-gen underpinnings will be capable of match its hydrogen tanks in the identical area usually occupied by batteries. The area would enable for smaller tanks organized in numerous configurations to help automobiles of various sizes and packaging.
Likewise, BMW’s plant in Munich is reportedly constructed to accommodate hydrogen on the manufacturing line, signaling that the automaker has been placing fairly a little bit of thought into hydrogen for fairly a while.
With that being stated, it is exhausting to disregard hydrogen’s rocky existence within the U.S.
California’s Hydrogen Freeway is not what it was just some months in the past. Station homeowners are leaping ship as EVs take maintain and homeowners of key fashions just like the Toyota Mirari simply aren’t feeling the love anymore.
Proudly owning a hydrogen automotive in California is a reasonably polarizing expertise, particularly when touring. In a latest article, homeowners shared particulars of a crumbling hydrogen dream within the States. The numerous issues they skilled weren’t simply associated to their automotive—they had been additionally centered on the poor state of the supporting infrastructure. With the key out, it is stunning to see automakers proceed investing in hydrogen-powered automobiles, however not publicly boast about propping up the infrastructure.
“[T]he consumer expertise of proudly owning a hydrogen automotive is, to place it mildly, not so good,” stated California State Senator Josh Newman, who drives a Toyota Mirai, in a Reddit publish. He later continued: “[I]t’s not because of the automobiles themselves. They’re superior. It’s the refueling. The fact is the state of H2 refueling in California is, in a phrase, abysmal.”
The present state of issues hasn’t stored different automakers from investing in hydrogen both. For instance, Honda shocked the world when it launched the 2025 Honda CR-V e:FCEV—a mouthful to say, I do know. Hyundai has additionally confirmed itself to be bullish on Hydrogen. Not solely is the model persevering with to develop the tech for its personal automobiles, but it surely’s additionally specializing in transitioning the world into what it calls a “hydrogen society” the place gasoline cell stacks are used to energy trains and vans, or be used as cellular mills.
Toyota is probably going the most effective companion that BMW might have appeared to for this launch. The Japanese automaker has been working to excellent the hydrogen gasoline cell for 3 a long time and really has two generations of the Mirari underneath its belt. Toyota can also be anticipating Europe to proceed to develop as a hydrogen hotspot, so help for the challenge regardless of an underdeveloped refueling community reveals confidence from each manufacturers.
One factor that is not instantly clear is whether or not or not BMW will even contemplate launching the mannequin within the States. Each Europe and Japan have a extra developed hydrogen refueling infrastructure than the U.S., for instance, so it is doable that the automaker might goal these markets as a substitute.
Will it succeed? We’ll have to attend till after it launches in 2028 to search out out.
