- 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 completely different fashions over the spam of 45 years. However in that point, it by no means introduced plans to place any hydrogen-powered vehicles into manufacturing regardless of some rivals 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 car that individuals 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 automobile—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, nevertheless, it did notice that the car could be an present mannequin with a hydrogen gasoline cell drivetrain possibility added on.
It is in all probability a great time to remind you that BMW’s final idea (pictured above) was known as the iX5 Hydrogen. BMW match a hydrogen gasoline cell stack into the automobile and used it along with 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. Actually, 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-Sequence Gran Turismo.
The model has traditionally been fairly optimistic about hydrogen. Like hybrids, it sees Gas Cell EVs as one other resolution it may well use to inexperienced its lineup. That is why BMW has been stress-testing the tech within the iX5 Hydrogen for a number of 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, vehicles constructed on BMW’s next-gen underpinnings will have the ability to match its hydrogen tanks in the identical house usually occupied by batteries. The house would enable for smaller tanks organized in several configurations to assist autos 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 mentioned, it is laborious to disregard hydrogen’s rocky existence within the U.S.
California’s Hydrogen Freeway is not what it was only a few months in the past. Station house owners are leaping ship as EVs take maintain and house owners of key fashions just like the Toyota Mirari simply aren’t feeling the love anymore.
Proudly owning a hydrogen automobile in California is a reasonably polarizing expertise, particularly when touring. In a current article, house owners shared particulars of a crumbling hydrogen dream within the States. The various issues they skilled weren’t simply associated to their automobile—they have been additionally targeted on the poor state of the supporting infrastructure. With the key out, it is stunning to see automakers proceed investing in hydrogen-powered vehicles, however not publicly boast about propping up the infrastructure.
“[T]he consumer expertise of proudly owning a hydrogen automobile is, to place it mildly, not so good,” mentioned California State Senator Josh Newman, who drives a Toyota Mirai, in a Reddit publish. He later continued: “[I]t’s not because of the vehicles themselves. They’re superior. It’s the refueling. The truth 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 stunned 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 vehicles, nevertheless it’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 vehicles, or be used as cell turbines.
Toyota is probably going the very best companion that BMW might have regarded to for this launch. The Japanese automaker has been working to good the hydrogen gasoline cell for 3 many years and truly has two generations of the Mirari underneath its belt. Toyota can also be anticipating Europe to proceed to develop as a hydrogen hotspot, so assist for the venture 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 think about 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 potential 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 seek out out.
