Mexican Media Brands
BMW Readies Low-Volume X5 Fuel Cell Model
BMW AG plans to introduce a fuel cell-powered version of the X5 SUV/crossover vehicle early next decade, development chief Klaus Frolich tells Forbes.
#hybrid
Share
BMW AG plans to introduce a fuel cell-powered version of the X5 SUV/crossover vehicle early next decade, development chief Klaus Frolich tells Forbes.
The vehicles initially will be sold in small volumes as part of a pilot program in unspecified markets.
Frohlich doesn’t anticipate BMW mass-producing a fuel cell vehicle until at least 2025. He says the costs of fuel cell stacks should drop from about €80,000 ($90,000) to €10,000 ($11,000) by then.
BMW has been working on fuel cell systems for about 20 years. The X5 fuel cell model will use technology developed under a 7-year-old partnership with Toyota Motor Corp.
Currently, the only carmakers to offer fuel cell vehicles are Honda, Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz and Toyota. Audi and General Motors also are developing the technology, which can provide longer driving ranges than full electric vehicles.
In addition to high costs, the lack of a hydrogen infrastructure has prevented wider adoption of fuel cell vehicles.
RELATED CONTENT
-
When Automated Production Turning is the Low-Cost Option
For the right parts, or families of parts, an automated CNC turning cell is simply the least expensive way to produce high-quality parts. Here’s why.
-
Things to Know About Cam Grinding
By James Gaffney, Product Engineer, Precision Grinding and Patrick D. Redington, Manager, Precision Grinding Business Unit, Norton Company (Worcester, MA)
-
On Fuel Cells, Battery Enclosures, and Lucid Air
A skateboard for fuel cells, building a better battery enclosure, what ADAS does, a big engine for boats, the curious case of lean production, what drivers think, and why Lucid is remarkable
