BMW, having just unveiled its new all-electric iX3 SUV at the Munich motor show, is now teasing the next-generation X5, which is going to get hydrogen power.
I thought hydrogen power was dead?
No, though interest in it from a passenger car point of view kind of waxes and wanes, but BMW is betting big on hydrogen power, especially for markets where the electricity charging network isn't, or can't be, well-developed.
The Bavarian car maker has teamed up with Toyota to work on a next-generation hydrogen fuel cell for the new X5, which will be badged as the iX5 when it's running on hydrogen.
Will the X5 only be hydrogen powered?
No, in fact the new BMW X5 - seen here under disguise for the first time - will quite possibly the only car on sale where you will be able to buy petrol, diesel, plug-in hybrid, fully-electric (also badged as iX5), or hydrogen versions.
“By launching the new BMW X5 with a choice of five drive system variants, we are once again demonstrating our leading position as a technology pioneer,” says Joachim Post, BMW's head of development. “Hydrogen has an essential part to play in global decarbonisation, which is why we are committed to driving the technology forward.”
Is this new BMW X5 based on the 'Neue Klasse' iX3?
Surprisingly, no - they're two entirely separate vehicles. In fact, the new X5 will use the familiar 'CLAR' platform, which has formed the basis of all larger BMW models for a decade now. It kind of shows off the versatility of that platform, when you think that it can be adapted for fully electric or even hydrogen power.
You can, however, see some of the new BMW iX3's styling under the X5's disguise, so expect a similar styling treatment at the front with a broad, slim 'grille' setup featuring two 1980s-style kidneys in the centre, which light up with LEDs instead of using chrome. The current BMW 5 Series and i5 are due to get that same design treatment in the next few months, too.
Inside, we'd expect to see the new rhombus-shaped touchscreen, and the ultra-wide, ultra-slim digital instrument display at the base of the windscreen, as per the new iX3, but nothing is confirmed as yet.
How will I fuel up my hydrogen iX5?
In Ireland, that might be tricky - there's not a single hydrogen fuel pump available for public use at the moment, but in a global sense BMW is trying to make that easier by signing up for the HyMoS (Hydrogen Mobility at Scale) initiative which “aims to increase the economic viability of hydrogen mobility ecosystems by pooling the demand for all types of vehicles, including trucks, buses and passenger cars. This will help to reach an optimal distribution and usage of hydrogen stations.”
BMW reckons that hydrogen power is “the missing piece for completing the electric mobility puzzle where battery electric drive systems are not an optimal solution,” but it also promises that the iX5 Hydrogen will be just as good to drive as a BMW ought to be: “The new BMW iX5 Hydrogen will be a true BMW - pioneering in its class and delivering the BMW typical driving pleasure,” said Michael Rath, Vice President Hydrogen Vehicles for the BMW Group.
When can I buy one?
The hydrogen one? It goes on sale in 2028 , but maybe never in Ireland, as we're just not set up for a hydrogen economy yet. The other X5 variants, and the electric iX5, should start to arrive here in late 2026 though.