BMW iX5 Hydrogen REVEALED ahead of Munich Motor Show

BMW reveals the iX5 Hyrodgen – an X5 with Hydrogen Fuel Cell powertrain – heading for the Munich Motor Show before limited production.

The last time we saw a hydrogen-fuelled BMW in the flesh was at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2019 when the BMW i Hydrogen NEXT was parked on BMW’s stand to entice the curious to take a look.

Fast forward to June this year and we had news of the BMW i Hydrogen out testing in the real world ahead of a limited production run planned for 2022.

Ahead of that production run, BMW has now revealed the production take of the i Hydrogen NEXT as the BMW iX5 Hydrogen, based on the X5 but with a hydrogen fuel cell powertrain and borrowing the ‘i’ bit from BMW’s EVs.

Apart from its hydrogen powertrain, BMW has marked out the iX5 Hydrogen by adding a blue-tinted grille, lightweight 22″ alloys and a modified rear diffuser flanked by blanked-off tailpipes.

The iX5 Hydrogen uses hydrogen to create electricity in a fuel cell that can deliver up to 168bhp, but there’s a performance buffer battery that can boost output to 374bhp when you need it, with the hydrogen stored in 700-bar tanks able to hold six kilos of fuel for a decent range and refuelling times of 3-4 minutes.

BMW’s Juergen Guldner, head of FCEV, said:

Filling up the hydrogen tanks only takes three to four minutes – so there are no limits on using the BMW iX5 Hydrogen for long distances, with just a few, short stops in-between.

With its high-performance fuel cell and optimised power battery, the BMW iX5 Hydrogen’s drive system is unique in the world. With this, we are forging new paths for sustainable driving pleasure.

To show how like an ICE or EV the iX5 Hydrogen is to drive, and be driven in, BMW will be making it available for short rides for visitors to the Munich Show.