Look out Hyundai Nexo and Toyota Mirai! BMW iX5 Hydrogen fuel-cell electric fleet ready for demonstration and industry trials around the globe

BMW has produced a pilot fleet of approximately 100 iX5 Hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) that will see service in demonstrations and commercial trails around the world.

The German maker has a long history of investment in the development of hydrogen as a liquid fuel in combustion engines as well as a gas for FCEVs, and the iX5 Hydrogen was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2019.

It was used as a shuttle vehicle at that event, and after a four-year development program, BMW says the creation of this large fleet marks the iX5 Hydrogen project "entering its critical next phase".

It will be added to commercial and government utility fleets on a trial basis in a wide variety of markets to gain a real-world impression of its day-to-day performance.

In launching the initiative, chairman of BMW's Board of Management, Oliver Zipse said, "Hydrogen is the missing piece in the jigsaw when it comes to emission-free mobility.

"One technology on its own will not be enough to enable climate-neutral mobility worldwide."

BMW has been collaborating with Toyota on fuel-cell drive systems over the last decade, and although the fuel-cell stacks for the pilot fleet are produced in-house at the company's 'Competence Centre for Hydrogen' in Munich, individual fuel cells are sourced from Toyota.

The iX5 Hydrogen's drive unit sees the electric motor, transmission and power electronics pack grouped together in a compact housing on the rear axle.

The lithium-ion power battery has been specifically developed for this vehicle with the powertrain producing a maximum output of 295kW. Claimed 0-100km/h acceleration time is a rapid 6.2 seconds, with a claimed maximum velocity of 180km/h.

In coasting overrun and braking phases, the motor also serves as a generator, feeding energy back into the main battery.

Two 700-bar tanks jointly hold close to 6.0kg of hydrogen, which at a WLTP-rated consumption rate of 1.19kg/100 km is enough to give the BMW iX5 Hydrogen a range of 504km.

When asked if the iX5 Hydrogen pilot fleet would spread out to Australia, a BMW Australia spokesperson told CarsGuide, "We are watching the development of the BMW iX5 Hydrogen with great interest, but at this stage we have nothing to announce regarding the running of test vehicles in Australia."