🚨 BMW HAS SOLVED ONE OF HYDROGEN’S BIGGEST PACKAGING PROBLEMS.
The company has developed a new “Hydrogen Flat Storage” system for the iX5 that uses seven slim hydrogen tanks instead of two large ones. This flat design fits into the same space as the high-voltage battery pack used in the electric iX5.
This is significant because it allows BMW to build the hydrogen-powered iX5 on the same production line as petrol, diesel, plug-in hybrid, and fully electric versions without major changes to the factory or vehicle architecture.
The system stores 7kg of hydrogen at 700 bar and gives the iX5 an estimated range of 385 miles. BMW plans to start series production of the iX5 Hydrogen in 2028, using a fuel cell developed in partnership with Toyota.
Why this matters:
• One of the biggest barriers to hydrogen vehicles has been packaging the tanks without sacrificing interior space or requiring completely separate production lines
• This modular “flat storage” approach makes hydrogen powertrains much more practical to manufacture at scale
• It gives BMW flexibility to produce multiple powertrains on one platform depending on demand and regional infrastructure
The deeper implication:
While battery electric vehicles currently dominate, BMW is continuing to develop hydrogen as a parallel technology, particularly for larger vehicles and longer-range applications. Being able to build both BEVs and FCEVs on the same line is a pragmatic engineering step that could make hydrogen vehicles more commercially viable in the future if the refuelling infrastructure catches up.
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