BMW iX5 Hydrogen Prototypes Test 466-Mile Range Ahead of Production

BMW has advanced its iX5 Hydrogen toward series production, with prototype vehicles undergoing extensive road testing and the third-generation fuel-cell system entering a new assembly phase in Munich. Engineers are validating the integrated operation of the fuel cell, electric motor, high-voltage battery, hydrogen tanks and control systems under demanding environmental and driving conditions. BMW is preparing its Steyr, Austria, plant for fuel-cell manufacturing, including installing equipment and training employees, while the system is being developed with Toyota. The production model is targeted to accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in under five seconds, travel up to 466 miles on the WLTP cycle and refuel in less than five minutes, though final efficiency figures are not yet available. The planned vehicle would become BMW’s first series-production hydrogen model and expand the X5 lineup beyond gasoline, diesel, plug-in hybrid and battery-electric versions, even as limited hydrogen-refueling infrastructure remains a broader challenge.