2023 BMW iX5 Hydrogen First Drive: It's An EV From A Parallel Universe

My first drive of the BMW iX5 included a cease at a hydrogen fueling station close to London’s Heathrow airport. Operated by a agency known as Air Merchandise, it opened in 2012 to gasoline a fleet of hydrogen-powered taxis utilized in a trial throughout that yr’s London Olympic Video games.

Now utilized by vehicles and buses, it dispenses about 200 kg (440 lbs) of hydrogen per day by way of two pumps, with 1kg at the moment costing about £20 ($25.84). Given the BMW has a 6kg (13.2 lbs) capability, which means its vary of 310 miles will price about $155. Not low cost, however these are very early days for hydrogen and the automotive is not but in the stores.

The hydrogen is saved at 500 bars of stress in a tank with a capability of 700 kg (1,500 lbs). It may possibly then be pumped at as much as 1,000 bar, so two autos may be fueled without delay, albeit under the 700 bar most price hydrogen vehicles just like the BMW iX5 are able to.

The pumps appear and feel loads like these from a fuel station, however with a mechanism that locks it into place when hooked up to the automotive. The entire course of may be executed one-handed, fee is dealt with with the faucet of a bank card (since there aren’t any employees at this specific station), and all of it feels very intuitive.