As of: February 21, 2024, 2:19 p.m
By: Patrick Freiwah
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Fuel cell drives have a future at BMW.
The project manager explains the current status, when the technology will be ready for the market and what prices are realistic.
Munich - The era of classic combustion engines is coming to an end.
Anyone who chooses the strategy of technological openness seems to have the better cards in the future: In addition to electromobility and the possible solution of e-fuels, technologies such as fuel cell drives are seen as future-oriented.
BMW is one of the manufacturers that is conducting massive research in this area.
While skeptics consider hydrogen cars to be unrealistic and not sustainable in terms of price, the Munich car manufacturer has been working on getting them ready for series production for a long time and is testing models of the iX5 Hydrogen worldwide.
Overall, however, Germany and Europe seem to be backwards in this area - according to the responsible BMW project manager.
Jürgen Guldner also commented on the technical similarities with electric cars, the market opportunities of hydrogen cars and the cost-benefit factor in terms of price to
Automobilwoche
.
BMW and hydrogen: “Japan and Korea further than other countries”
Guldner explains that the topic of hydrogen as an energy source is being promoted, particularly in the Middle East.
Interest in hydrogen has increased significantly in countries such as Saudi Arabia.
According to him, Dubai and Oman are also among the regions where it is “impressive” to see the speed at which hydrogen production is being advanced.
Hydrogen regions such as Japan and Korea are also “further along than other countries,” and China is also one of the countries with a long-term hydrogen strategy.
Fuel cell drive from BMW at the IAA: The Munich manufacturer is pushing the topic of hydrogen cars.
© Friedrich Stark/Imago
When does the BMW head of the hydrogen and fuel cell technology department think the time has come for the first hydrogen-powered BMW model?
“We have to think long-term and prepare the markets,” Guldner tells
Automobilwoche
.
The group does not have a fixed schedule and it depends largely on the further development of the infrastructure.
“We are preparing to be able to make a series offering in the second half of the decade,” is his forecast.
Hydrogen car: BMW project manager on similarity to BEV models
According to Guldner, the issue of range is not as important when it comes to fuel cell drives as it is with electric cars: “More is always better, but because of the quick refueling, the range is not as important, provided there is a sufficient network of filling stations.” The technology itself has similarities to a pure electric drive: hydrogen cars are also powered by an electric motor and are therefore considered electric cars.
The abbreviation is FCEV for “Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle” (Fuel Cell is the English term for fuel cell).
A major challenge for manufacturers is the possible integration into the existing production network: This could save a lot of costs for BMW and Co.
One key is the technical similarity to pure BEV models: “A vehicle with a fuel cell is ultimately an electric drive variant.
We can take over the electric motors from the battery-electric drive.
The goal is to rely on a common architecture for battery-electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles,” explains Guldner.
PR appointment in August 2022: Bavaria's head of state Markus Söder, "Vice" Hubert Aiwanger and BMW boss Oliver Zipse (l.).
© Bavarian State Chancellery
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BMW: Hydrogen car should not be more expensive than an electric car
And what about the financial viability of a hydrogen car?
Jürgen Guldner explains that new technologies are introduced “first in upper segments”.
Regarding prices for a car with a fuel cell drive, the head of the division promises that the technology should not be more expensive than other types of drive: “The goal must be to reach the cost level of a comparable BEV model.”
According to him, what helps in this project is that a hydrogen car requires less material costs for the battery and that a fuel cell system can rely on classic skills from the development of internal combustion engines.
This also applies to components such as compressors, hoses or the cooling system.
“You can quickly achieve good economies of scale with high volumes,” says the BMW manager.
In Bavaria, even high-ranking politicians have been promoting fuel cell drives in the past.
Deputy Prime Minister Hubert Aiwanger explained his experiences with the BMW iX5 Hydrogen on social networks.
(PF)