The iX5 Hydrogen is based on the current X5 luxury SUV but it’s fitted with a revised version of the electric motor from the larger BMW iX electric car, a small battery pack and a fuel cell system that turns liquid hydrogen into electricity.
The car we’ve driven has been in development for four years, and is one of a 100-strong pilot fleet being used around the world to showcase the latest advances in hydrogen-powered technology. Feedback from drivers will be gathered and used in developing future production models.
What’s the iX5 Hydrogen like to drive?
Power comes from a fuel cell system that generates a continuous output of 125kW, which is stored in a 170kW lithium-ion battery pack. That’s enough for a range of 313 miles. The battery pack is just 10% the size of a battery electric SUV’s, which helps keep weight down. In fact, at 2495kg, the iX5 Hydrogen is around the same weight as the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) X5 and this helps retain its agile handling.
There’s minimal bodyroll and the steering is quick to respond and well-weighted, just like other X5s. The iX5 Hydrogen is also impressively smooth to drive, and shields its occupants well from road and wind noise. Even though the tyres are fairly low-profile and wide at 22-inches, they don’t hamper comfort and don’t transmit much disruption from potholes and uneven surfaces through to occupants.
An electric motor that’s based on the unit in the iX is situated on the rear axle, producing 396bhp. The iX5 gets up to speed swiftly with a pleasant artificial whooshing noise borrowed from the iX that gives it a bit of a spaceship vibe. Although official data on the car is sparse as it’s a development model, BMW says it will do 0-62mph in less than 6.0sec and go on to 112mph. Although that’s not quite as fast as the X5 xDrive50e plug-in hybrid, which does 0-62mph in 4.8sec, it’s similar to the xDrive30d diesel, and it feels powerful enough to keep pace with rival luxury SUVs.
