BMW hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are about to hit the "track".
Recently, the BMW iX5 Hydrogen fuel cell vehicle was tested for extreme cold endurance at the BMW Group Winter Test Center in Sweden. The results show that in the extreme cold environment, the maximum endurance of the BMW iX5 hydrogen fuel cell vehicle can reach about 500 kilometers, and more importantly, the hydrogen storage tank is only 3-4 minutes to fill.
Battery life and charging have always been considered to be the two major pain points of current electric vehicles, and if you take into account the extreme cold environment, it is even more painful. The test data of the BMW iX5 hydrogen fuel cell vehicle has seen a new dawn for consumers who like new energy vehicles. Moreover, the car has entered the late stage of research and development before mass production, and the small-scale mass production model will be put into production in the second half of 2022.
Crack the two major pain points of electric vehicles
At present, it is generally believed that hydrogen fuel cell technology is the ultimate direction to solve the future of automobile power, but due to the constraints of technology and cost, hydrogen fuel cell models have made great progress in the industry, and even some companies have stopped and gone.
For example, in 2020, Daimler Group announced the suspension of the GLC FC project; in 2021, Volkswagen also hesitated, saying that hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are not a solution for future emission-free driving; in 2021, Honda announced the termination of the production of CLARITY hydrogen fuel cell version models (but will still cooperate with General Motors to develop fuel cell vehicles)... The progress of international giants on hydrogen fuel cell models is shrouded in a negative atmosphere.
Is there a problem with hydrogen fuel cell technology itself? Of course not, while some companies are stagnating, everyone acknowledges the advanced nature of fuel cell technology itself.
Taking the BMW iX5 fuel cell vehicle as an example, under ultra-low temperature climate conditions, it can travel a maximum cruising range of about 500 kilometers. The hydrogen storage tank takes only 3-4 minutes to fill, and it is not affected in the cold winter months. This is the pain point of the vast majority of electric vehicle owners at present.
Julgen Guldner, Head of the HYDROGEN Fuel Cell Technology and Automotive Project at the BMW Group, said: "Hydrogen fuel cell drive systems combine the advantages of both drive systems and are not affected by seasonal variations and outdoor temperatures. It can not only achieve zero-emission travel of pure electric models, but also feel the same as fuel vehicles in terms of use, and long-distance driving only needs a short stay to be full of fuel. ”
Don't lose bmw driving fun
Some people may ask, are fuel cell vehicles just zero emissions? This may be true for other brands, but for BMW, even fuel cell models can not be without BMW's driving DNA.
BMW has been lurking in the research and development of hydrogen energy power systems for more than 40 years, and has more than 20 years of experience in the research and development of hydrogen fuel cell technology. The BMW iX5 hydrogen fuel cell vehicle is equipped with BMW Group's fifth-generation BMW eDrive technology, which combines high-performance fuel cells with high-power power batteries to achieve a combination of sports driving fun and sustainable development.
The hydrogen needed to supply the fuel cell is stored in two 700-bar pressure tanks made of carbon fiber-reinforced composites, which chemically react with oxygen to provide up to 125 kilowatts (170 hp) of electrical energy to the electric motor.
In addition, the high-power battery located above the motor can not only be charged by the fuel cell, but also use the electricity generated by the braking energy recovery system. When overtaking or accelerating, the battery injects extra power into the vehicle. The system has a total output of up to 275 kW (374 hp), guaranteeing consistent BMW driving performance. The vehicle does not emit any exhaust gases except water vapor, and the excess heat generated can be efficiently recovered for heating the cockpit.
Mr. Wei Bofan, Director of R&D at the BMW Group, said: "The BMW iX5 hydrogen fuel cell vehicle underwent harsh winter tests at temperatures as low as minus 20 degrees, demonstrating the vehicle's excellent performance. ”
Meet the diverse needs of customers and promote sustainable mobility
From the current industry status, hydrogen fuel cell models are still strategic business, which is a supplement to traditional internal combustion engine models, plug-in hybrid models and pure electric vehicle models.
Despite this, Zhu Xichan, a professor at the School of Automotive Of Tongji University, believes that "hydrogen energy is the next outlet of the automobile industry, and if it takes a lot of money to try, there may not be much sales, and there is no future without trying." ”
Last year, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Reform Commission and the National Energy Administration jointly issued the Notice on Launching the Demonstration Application of Fuel Cell Vehicles, and began to promote the demonstration and application of fuel cell vehicles in some urban agglomerations. Its core purpose is to promote the large-scale development of fuel cells through state subsidies. In fact, since 2013, the BMW Group and Toyota Motor have begun to deepen cooperation, according to the cooperation agreement, the purpose of cooperation between the two sides is to promote the research and development of hydrogen fuel cell technology and industrial large-scale application.
In 2019, the BMW Group made its world premiere at the Frankfurt Motor Show BMW i Hydrogen NEXT hydrogen fuel cell concept car; in June 2021, the BMW Group opened a comprehensive test of the BMW iX5 Hydrogen fuel cell prototype on European public roads in a real environment; in September 2021, the BMW Group launched the world's first internationally certified bulletproof safety car with a hydrogen fuel battery drive system - BMW iX5 Hydrogen The Protection VR6 concept car; meanwhile, the BMW iX5 Hydrogen hydrogen fuel cell vehicle made its debut at the Munich Motor Show. At present, the BMW Group has already begun the application of hydrogen fuel cells, and the fleet of hundreds of hydrogen fuel cell forklifts deployed at the Spartanburg and Leipzig plants will be further expanded.
In BMW's sustainable development plan, fuel cells will become the "fourth pole" after fuel vehicles, plug-in hybrids, and pure electric, especially under the BMW i brand, in addition to providing pure electric vehicle models, hydrogen fuel cell models will be brought to meet the diversified needs of customers who are far away from charging infrastructure, need long-distance travel, and pursue personalization.
The BMW Group is leading the way in sustainable mobility in the future with a strong brand and product strength.