- BMW will launch its first manufacturing hydrogen-powered Gasoline 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, imagine 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 vehicles 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 getting ready to launch its first hydrogen-powered manufacturing automobile that individuals can truly purchase.
BMW says that with the assistance of Toyota, the model will launch its very first hydrogen-powered Gasoline Cell EV (FCEV) in 2028. Toyota will present its third-generation hydrogen gas 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 complete particulars about its upcoming FCEV, nevertheless, it did be aware that the automobile can be an present mannequin with a hydrogen gas cell drivetrain choice added on.
It is most likely time to remind you that BMW’s final idea (pictured above) was referred to as the iX5 Hydrogen. BMW match a hydrogen gas cell stack into the automobile and used it along side its fifth-generation eDrive motor—the identical household of drive models discovered within the i4, iX, iX3, and i7.
What you most likely did not know is the gas cell within the iX5 Hydrogen was additionally equipped by Toyota. The truth is, it is the identical gas 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 Gasoline Cell EVs as one other resolution it may use to inexperienced its lineup. That is why BMW has been stress-testing the tech within the iX5 Hydrogen for a couple 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 area usually occupied by batteries. The area would enable for smaller tanks organized in numerous configurations to assist 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 mentioned, it is onerous 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 numerous issues they skilled weren’t simply associated to their automobile—they had 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 person 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 fact is the state of H2 refueling in California is, in a phrase, abysmal.”
The present state of issues hasn’t saved 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, but it surely’s additionally specializing in transitioning the world into what it calls a “hydrogen society” the place gas 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 regarded to for this launch. The Japanese automaker has been working to good the hydrogen gas cell for 3 a long time and truly has two generations of the Mirari beneath its belt. Toyota can also be anticipating Europe to proceed to develop as a hydrogen hotspot, so assist for the mission 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 take into account 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 an alternative.
Will it succeed? We’ll have to attend till after it launches in 2028 to search out out.
