BMW’s hydrogen efforts go way back to the late Nineteen Seventies with a prototype based mostly on the first-generation 5 Sequence Sedan. The E12 within the 520i specification stored its inner combustion engine but it surely was modified to run on liquid hydrogen. A brand new video from BMW Group Traditional gives us a uncommon take a look at the 520h developed in collaboration with the German Aerospace Analysis Institute.

You’ll be able to think about it was far much less sensible than the gasoline-fueled 520i of these days as a result of the hydrogen tank occupied many of the trunk area. The tank needed to be specifically insulated to guard the hydrogen and retailer it for so long as doable at a temperature of -250 levels Celsius (-418 levels Fahrenheit).

Whereas later hydrogen BMW prototypes have been engineered to run on each gasoline and hydrogen, the 520h used solely the latter.  Apparently, we additionally get to see a black 7 Sequence E23 from 1980 with a hydrogen tank good for 300 kilometers (186 miles) of vary. The video takes us on a tour of the opposite take a look at autos, together with the E32 7 Sequence 735i from 1988 with a greater structure because the hydrogen tank didn’t eat as a lot into the cargo space.

Then the 750hL comes alongside within the video as a particular E38 from 2000 with a hydrogen-fueled V12 engine producing over 200 horsepower. Solely 15 automobiles have been ever made, and these had a prime velocity of greater than 143 mph (230 km/h). The 5.4-liter engine produced 204 horsepower and ran on gasoline and hydrogen, masking 250 miles (402 kilometers) with a full 140-liter hydrogen tank earlier than switching to gasoline.

The most well-liked of the lot is certainly the BMW Hydrogen 7 from 2006, based mostly on the 760Li (E65). It too had a V12 engine, dialed to 260 horsepower. It was sufficient punch for a 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) run in 9.5 seconds and an electronically capped prime velocity of 143 mph (230 km/h). The “world’s first hydrogen-powered luxurious saloon automotive” because it was known as again within the day had 125 miles (201 kilometers) of vary from the liquid hydrogen tank holding 8 kilograms of gasoline. The 74-liter gasoline tank offered an additional 300 miles (483 kilometers) of vary.

We additionally get to see the 2004 H2R File Automotive with its 6.0-liter V12 engine borrowed from the 760i. The carbon fiber-bodied machine set 9 world information: flying-start kilometer, flying-start mile, standing-start 1/8 mile, standing-start quarter mile, standing-start half kilometer, standing-start mile, standing-start 10 miles, standing-start kilometer, and standing-start 10 kilometers. It had 232 hp on faucet, giving it a 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) dash in 6 seconds and a prime velocity of 187.62 mph (301.95 km/h).

With the iX5 based mostly on the current-generation X5 luxurious SUV, BMW remains to be pursuing hydrogen expertise. In late 2022, BMW Group chairman Oliver Zipse promised: “On this decade there shall be a viable product from BMW with hydrogen. You will note that. We consider in hydrogen for a lot of causes. We consider that – and I’m talking now from the BMW aspect however that finally ends up being for each model within the Group – if you wish to journey emissions-free and also you would not have a charging station, that is the one risk we’ve.”

Supply: BMW Group Traditional / YouTube