BMW will launch its first series production car with a hydrogen fuel cell powertrain in 2028 as part of an expanded partnership with Toyota, the automaker said.
The two companies will develop a "next generation" fuel cell drivetrain for use in passenger cars and commercial vehicles, BMW said Sept. 5, and will work to reinforce the hydrogen infrastructure, which has been a limiting factor in the growth of the technology.
BMW has been testing prototypes of the iX5 SUV with a fuel cell drivetrain for several years. Toyota provides the fuel cell "stack" for the iX5.
BMW and Toyota have been leaders in fuel cell technology, which proponents say offers zero-emission mobility without worries about range, because the refueling time is the same as for a gasoline or diesel car. The refueling infrastructure remains tiny, however, and the electrolysis process to extract hydrogen from water is mostly powered by fossil fuels, which critics say negates the benefits of zero tailpipe emissions.
So-called "green" hydrogen created using renewable or sustainable energy offers a zero-emission alternative, but it has not yet reached significant scale.
"Hydrogen is the missing piece for completing the electric mobility puzzle where battery electric drive systems are not an optimal solution," BMW said in the release.
