BMW starts production of hydrogen cells for the upcoming iX5 Hydrogen

BMW officially announced that it's kicking off production of hydrogen cells to power up its upcoming BMW iX5 Hydrogen car. The cells are being built in Munich, Germany and aim to diversify the transition to zero-emission transportation.

BMW has been working on this project for a while now and it finally feels confident enough to start a small-scale production of hydrogen cells. Compared to the previous generation, the new cells have double the output while weight and size have both gone down by a big margin.

Based on the X5 platform, the iX5 Hydrogen holds two hydrogen tanks and an electric motor with a dedicated battery in addition to those hydrogen cells. The hydrogen system can generate 125kW continuous output, topping up the battery, which in turn drives the 374hp fifth-generation eDrive electric motor.

The chemical reaction happens in those hydrogen cells using the hydrogen in the tanks and the oxygen from the air. This requires air coolers, air filters, control units and sensors, but those arealready found in modern ICE vehicles. In addition, BMW has a developed high-speed compressor with turbine and high-voltage coolant pump.

BMW iX5 Hydrogen drivetrain schematics

The cells are sourced from Toyota and assembled in Munich. The two companies have collaborated on the hydrogen-powered drivetrain since 2013.

The upcoming vehicle already proved its safety and efficiency in winter tests in Sweden earlier this year and is about to be tested worldwide.

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