![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/BMW-iNext-test-engineers-1024x683.jpg\")
The company\u2019s i Hydrogen Next is a hydrogen-electric drivetrain<\/a><\/u><\/strong> it has developed in partnership with Toyota<\/a><\/u><\/strong>. The two companies have been working together for nearly a decade on the technology. The goal is produce a system that can be used in a vehicle similar to the BMW X5, the company noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHydrogen fuel cell technology can be an attractive option for sustainable drive trains \u2013 especially in larger vehicle classes,\u201d according to Frank Weber, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Development. \u201cThat is why road testing of near-standard vehicles with a hydrogen fuel cell drive train is an important milestone in our research and development efforts.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n BMW\u2019s i Hydrogen Next system is made up of a pair of 700-bar tanks holding 13.2 pounds of hydrogen, a fuel cell and an electric motor. That electric motor, the fifth iteration, powers the iX3 and will be used in the recently introduced i4 and the iX.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The fuel cell uses hydrogen and oxygen to generate electricity and sends it to the motor. The battery can produce a temporary power spurt of 374 horsepower, which can be used for passing or other maneuvers requiring a substantive burst of speed. However, the system typically produces a steady 170 hp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe system delivers an output of 275 kW\/374 hp that corresponds exactly to that of the most powerful six-cylinder in-line petrol engine currently used in BMW models \u2014 thereby guaranteeing the driving dynamics the brand is known for,\u201d the company noted in statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Currently, only a handful of manufacturers produce fuel-cell vehicles, or FCVs, all of them Asian. And their products are available in only limited markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n South Korea\u2019s Hyundai and Japan\u2019s Honda and Toyota. All have focused on passenger vehicles like the Hyundai Nexo<\/strong><\/a><\/strong> and recently redesigned Toyota Mirai.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In addition to providing clean power quickly, fuel cells provide an alternative to battery-electric vehicles. They\u2019re primary benefits are that they often provide more range and can be refueled more quickly than their battery-only counterparts, officials noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The challenge is the lack of a refueling infrastructure, but there are signs that this is being addressed, particularly in Europe, through public-private partnerships.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAnother zero-emission powertrain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/BMW-iNext-testing-site-1024x683.jpg\")
Other FCV efforts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/BMW-iNext-real-life-test-scenario-1024x682.jpg\")