BMW is reminding us that the iX5 Hydrogen is still very much happening. Prototypes have now entered real-world testing ahead of the production model’s launch later this decade. While the fuel cell luxury SUV is all about efficiency, performance is already shaping up to be strong.

The Munich-based automaker is targeting a 0-to-62-mph (100-km/h) sprint in less than five seconds. That puts the iX5 Hydrogen in the same performance ballpark as the battery-powered iX5. As a refresher, the new iX5 60 xDrive gets the job done in 4.6 seconds. Final horsepower and torque figures remain a mystery, but we do know the fuel cell version will have xDrive. As a result, one electric motor will drive the front wheels, while another will power the rear axle.

Of course, people won’t be buying the iX5 Hydrogen for how quickly it goes in a straight line. Instead, the eco credentials will do the heavy lifting. Efficiency will be its key selling point, with BMW targeting 466 miles (750 kilometers) of range on a single fill-up in the WLTP cycle. For reference, the iX5 60 xDrive with its gargantuan 141-kWh battery is rated at up to 845 km (525 miles).

Refuels Almost As Quickly As The Regular X5

Once the hydrogen is depleted, a refill is expected to take less than five minutes. That will make it nearly as quick as refueling a gasoline or diesel X5. The iX5 Hydrogen carries seven high-pressure carbon-fiber tanks capable of holding up to 7 kilograms of hydrogen, all without eating into passenger space compared with the battery-powered iX5. BMW is using a third-generation fuel cell system co-developed with Toyota, and the new unit is 25 percent smaller than its predecessor.

The prototypes are being subjected to demanding environmental and operating conditions to make sure everything from the fuel cell to the electric motors works together as intended. Engineers are also paying close attention to driving dynamics because the goal is to make the hydrogen-powered X5 feel like a proper BMW rather than simply selling an alternatively fueled version.

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Does Hydrogen Really Have A Future?

Whether hydrogen can become a meaningful alternative to battery power will ultimately depend on infrastructure and hydrogen availability. BMW is clearly betting that customers will want a zero-tailpipe-emission vehicle that combines long range with gasoline-like refueling times.

Meanwhile, the iX5 Hydrogen is still a prototype. But with real-world testing underway, BMW’s hydrogen experiment is getting considerably closer to becoming a showroom reality. The luxury SUV’s fifth powertrain type is unlikely to be available until 2028 at the earliest. We don’t expect it to be globally available, since it wouldn’t make sense to sell it in markets without enough hydrogen refueling stations.

First published by https://www.bmwblog.com