New BMW iX5 Hydrogen previewed: luxury SUV to get hydrogen power
Hydrogen power is in the works for the next-generation BMW X5, and it should offer more than 300 miles of range...
The fifth-generation BMW X5 will be available with a hydrogen fuel cell option – called a FCEV (fuel cell electric vehicle) – alongside petrol, diesel, plug-in hybrid and fully electric versions, and it’s due to arrive in 2028.
Based on the existing iX5 Hydrogen, – a concept car used exclusively by BMW for testing and development – the next-generation of iX5 will be the first commercially-available model from the German brand to make use of hydrogen power. The hydrogen SUV will sit alongside an electric version as part of its electric line-up.
The new iX5 will use an advanced version of the system in the concept car, which uses fuel cells supplied by Toyota. It combines a 187bhp fuel cell stack, a 295bhp electric motor and a battery system, producing a total of 396bhp. Officially, it can manage up to 313 miles without stopping to refuel thanks to its two 700-bar hydrogen tanks, which can hold 6kg of hydrogen.
According to BMW, the next-generation system used in the upcoming iX5 will be more efficient than its predecessor in every key area, including range and power output. It will also take up 25% less space, and it will be able to integrate easily into other vehicles, which will allow BMW to use the tech in a wide range of future vehicles.
The new fuel systems will be produced from 2028 at BMW’s plant in Steyr, Austria. It will be sold in certain markets that have sufficient refuelling facilities – though it’s unclear if the UK will be one of those.
BMW is involved in a project called HyMoS (Hydrogen Mobility at Scale), which aims to support hydrogen power in mobility by working with industry and institutional partners to increase the sustainability and profitability of hydrogen stations. The project started its initial phase in Germany and France, and there is intent to expand into other countries.
There are currently around 15 operating hydrogen-filling stations in the UK, according to the RAC. However, only around 6 of them are accessible to the public, but the UK Government is backing initiatives to increase that number. Of course, without hydrogen cars on the road, the demand for more stations is not currently there – but if there is no refuelling infrastructure, nobody will be willing to by a hydrogen car.
Hydrogen power is particularly appealing because it only takes two or three minutes to refuel, rather than the 20-30 minutes it takes to recharge an electric car. It's also a very green option, because the only by-product of a hydrogen cell is water (and heat).
We tested the iX5 Hydrogen prototype back in 2023, and we found it handled similarly to other X5s, but it was also impressively smooth to drive and pleasantly refined. There was the same automatic gearbox from the regular X5, and it benefitted from regenerative braking that would slow you down just by lifting your foot off the accelerator.
You don’t have to wait that long to see the new BMW X5, though, because fifth-generation models with the other fuel options are due to be revealed next year – but technical details are still thin on the ground. However, it’s expected that petrol and diesel versions will be assisted by mild hybrid power, while a performance-focused version will receive plug-in hybrid power centred around a 3.3-litre six-cylinder engine.
It’s also anticipated that the upcoming electric iX5 will spawn a 600bhp high-performance model.
While it hasn’t been fully unveiled yet, early sightings of the new X5 indicate that it’ll take design inspiration from BMW’s Neue Klasse concepts and the upcoming iX3, with triangular headlights and the slimmer kidney-shaped dual grilles.
Inside, the new X5 will forgo traditional digital instrument clusters, instead getting a panoramic projected display and a 17.9in widescreen system. Unfortunately, the new BMW iDrive system won't feature the rotary dial we love, and will be replaced with voice and touch controls.
Official pricing won’t be revealed for a while yet, especially not for the hydrogen version. However, it’s likely that the next-gen X5 will start at around £80,000 for petrol versions, making it significantly more expensive than an Audi Q7.
