BMW has released new details about the 2028 iX5 Hydrogen. Upcoming crossover will have an EPA range of around 385 miles. Will come with innovative new flat hydrogen storage tank system. Spy photographers have snapped the redesigned BMW X5 on multiple occasions, but now they’re releasing initial details about the upcoming fuel cell variant. Known as the iX5 Hydrogen, the crossover will have a WLTP range of up to 750 km or roughly 385 miles under EPA guidelines. Those are impressive numbers and the automaker said they were achieved thanks to a new flat storage system. As the name suggests, the crossover has been equipped with seven high-pressure hydrogen storage tanks that are made of carbon-fiber reinforced composite and laid flat, side-by-side. This allows for “exceptionally efficient use of the space.” While there are seven tanks, they’re all connected and essentially sandwiched between two sheets of metal to form a single enclosed unit. BMW said it can store at least 7 kg (15.4 lbs) of hydrogen and can be filled in less than five minutes. That’s comparable to a gas-powered crossover and should be significantly faster than the fully electric iX5. On the topic of the EV, the flat storage system is compatible with BMW’s Gen6 high-voltage battery. It sounds like the two components take up the same amount of space, so the automaker can easily switch between them. This promises to significantly reduce complexity and the automaker alluded to this as they said “models with fuel cell technology can therefore be built on the same production line as those with other drive system types.” Of course, the tanks are just part of the story as the iX5 Hydrogen will have a modern Gen3 fuel cell system and an innovative high-voltage battery. BMW is staying tight-lipped about them, but confirmed we can expect Neue Klasse technology including “new Heart of Joy drivetrain and chassis control software.” The BMW iX5 Hydrogen will go into production in 2028 and form one of the five powertrain options for the crossover. There will also be electric, plug-in hybrid, diesel and gasoline options.
