As one of the pioneering figures in the field of
electric mobility, the BMW Group is equipping itself for the myriad
requirements of future mobility, as illustrated by the BMW i Hydrogen Next fuel
cell development vehicle awaiting visitors at the IAA Cars 2019 show.
The BMW Group is working on the assumption that, in
future, various alternative types of drive system will exist alongside one
another, as there is no single solution that covers the complete spectrum of
customers’ mobility needs worldwide. Hydrogen vehicles represent an important
alternative and addition to battery-electric drive systems. This rich diversity
of electrified drive technologies – of which plug-in hybrids are another
example – underlines the BMW Group’s commitment to achieving zero-emission
mobility as part of a well thought-out strategy.
In 2022, the BMW Group is planning to present the
next generation of hydrogen fuel cell electric drive systems in a small-series
vehicle based on the current BMW X5. The BMW i Hydrogen Next provides an
initial glimpse of what this model has in store. The BMW Group would start
offering fuel cell vehicles for customers in 2025 at the earliest, but the
timing very much depends on market requirements and overall conditions.
The BMW i Hydrogen Next demonstrates that this
technology can be integrated effectively into a dynamic vehicle like the BMW
X5. Slight modifications to the vehicle’s design make it deliberately
recognisable as a BMW i model. BMW i espouses innovation and acts as an
incubator for all new technologies at the BMW Group.
At the front end, the modifications are most clearly
visible in the distinctive BMW i Blue patterning on the bonnet. This patterning
reappears in three-dimensional form in the air intakes. The pattern’s shape and
colour form a dynamic flow across the front end and flanks of the Mineral White
body. The detailing on the light-alloy wheels provides further confirmation of
the model’s BMW i genes.
The development vehicle’s innovative nature shines
through at the rear, too, thanks to the BMW i Blue diffuser elements. Their
blanked off design without exhaust tailpipes clearly highlights that the car’s
drive system produces zero local emissions.
