BMW’s hydrogen bombshell

BMW is bringing to market next year a version of its 7 series saloon which can run on both hydrogen and petrol.

The BMW 7 Series Hydrogen 7 Saloon is powered by a 191 kW, 12 cylinder engine and accelerates from 0-100 km/h in 9.5 seconds. Top speed is limited electronically to 230 km/h. If hydrogen is not available, the dual-mode power unit can be switched over to run on petrol.

BMW said in a statement that integrating a hydrogen drive in an existing vehicle concept paves the way for an alternative to conventional drives in a marketable vehicle.

The BMW Group claims this move would provide momentum for the ongoing development of a supply infrastructure, including the establishment of more hydrogen filling stations.