BMW is not giving up on hydrogen fuel cells. This is why
Thomas Hofmann, project manager for the German carmaker, revealed that despite its focus on lithium-ion electric vehicles for zero-emissions, BMW will not give up on fuel cell technology. hydrogen. He told InsideEVs that in the distant future, personal vehicles will soon be free of exhaust emissions, but there should be an option for customers. Hofmann also says that most cars in the near future will run on batteries, but that doesn’t stop the availability of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles for people who want to buy them.
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His comment came at a time when BMW car is increasingly focusing on lithium-ion battery-powered vehicles in an effort to transition to zero-emissions vehicles. Interestingly, Hydrogen fuel cell technology is a true zero-emission technology, releasing only water from the exhaust. While Toyota and hyundai Having worked enthusiastically on this technology for a long time, BMW still lags in the segment. “I don’t think we’re going to go mainstream. But we’re talking about a percentage of our power portfolio here… the customer should have a choice,” Hofmann said when talk about BMW’s aspirations to use hydrogen fuel cells.
His comments also come at a time when the automaker announced the iX5 Hydrogen SUV last week. The iX5 hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle is an all-electric variant of the automaker’s popular midsize SUV. However, a hydrogen-powered car will not be a mass-produced electric vehicle. The iX5 hydrogen FCEV is expected to launch as a technology demonstrator in a limited number of markets starting next year, which is a sort of rotating R&D project in the hands of select individuals.
Speaking about the automaker’s FCEV strategy, Hofmann said that BMW has seen enough benefit today with hydrogen fuel cell technology in an attempt to envision a future where there will be a wide range of powertrain options to boost fuel efficiency. promote zero-emission mobility. He also suggested that this strategy could help the company achieve its carbon neutral goal in a better way.
First published date: December 6, 2022, 10:14 AM IST