BMW Touts Fuel Cell Tech In Hydrogen-Powered i8 And 5-Series GT

BMW, along with the 2-Series Active Tourer Plug-in Hybrid concept that we reported on earlier, has brought forward a special i8 and 5-Series GT to showcase its latest strides in hydrogen fuel cell technology. 

Details on the i8-based prototype, unfortunately, were not all that forthcoming. Obviously, BMW made changes to the exterior over the standard car. But whether this was necessitated by fuel cell transition is unknown.

The 5-Series Gran Turismo, however, keeps the car’s profile intact after taking on another form of propulsion. BMW says it combines emissions-free mobility with sporting dynamics, excellent ride comfort, and long-distance capability.

Its electric motor develops 245hp and includes a high-voltage battery for interim energy storage. The technology in use here is a variation of BMW’s eDrive efforts. Hydrogen is stored in the form of a tunnel tank between the front and rear axle, using industry standard 700 bar CGH2 vessels and cryogenic pressure vessels technology.

This enables generous amounts of hydrogen to be stored at low temperature and at a pressure of 350 bar, providing enough range to allow the 5-Series GT to travel more than 500 kilometres before requiring a refill.

Being one of the first manufacturers to consider hydrogen as possible alternatives to fossil fuels, BMW is now squaring in on fuel cell technology to generate as opposed to hydrogen powering the engines in and of itself. By 2020, they plan to have introduced Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs) to the market by leveraging a partnership with Toyota.

Have a look at the gallery below for more picture of BMW's hydrogen fuel cell i8 and 5-Series GT.