BMW is giving the iX5 Hydrogen a new storage layout that could make fuel-cell SUVs easier to package alongside battery-electric, plug-in hybrid and combustion models.
The new BMW Hydrogen Flat Storage system uses seven 700-bar carbon-fibre reinforced composite tanks, mounted in parallel inside a metal frame.
BMW said the layout allows the upcoming iX5 Hydrogen to store at least seven kilograms of hydrogen and achieve a claimed range of up to 750km. Refuelling from empty is said to take under five minutes.
BMW said the tank system fits into the new X5 architecture without taking space from the cabin, and is compatible with the company’s Gen6 high-voltage battery packaging. That means hydrogen fuel-cell versions can be built on the same production line as other X5 variants.
BMW Group development board member Dr Joachim Post said the new storage concept allows the hydrogen system to be fitted “precisely and in a way that saves space”, describing the approach as “installation Tetris”.
The iX5 Hydrogen will also use BMW’s latest Gen3 fuel-cell technology, together with a high-voltage battery, Heart of Joy drivetrain and chassis control software, and BMW Dynamic Performance Control.
BMW said the next X5 architecture will support five drivetrain types: battery-electric, plug-in hybrid, conventional combustion, and hydrogen fuel-cell versions. The iX5 Hydrogen is scheduled for wider integration into BMW’s production network in 2028.
The HyPowerDrive project behind the powertrain and tank system is supported by €191 million (RM886 million) from Germany’s federal government and €82 million (RM380 million) from Bavaria.
