BMW is now looking to expand its sustainability efforts by announcing a new partnership with Toyota to co-develop hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
According to Autoblog, the German automaker has already developed a hydrogen-powered X5 concept and will soon begin working with its Japanese partner to build several units this year, with the goal of reaching full production and sales by 2025.
For the time being, the latter company can provide the expertise that BMW lacks, as its hydrogen-powered Mirai sedan has been in production for nearly ten years.
In terms of the advantages of hydrogen fuel cells over conventional EVs, the former outperforms the latter in terms of refueling, being able to replenish its cells both faster and easier than electric battery cells.
However, the refueling infrastructure is not as developed as it is for EVs, with the only hydrogen fueling stations in the United States currently located in California. Logistically, handling hydrogen is also more difficult because it requires specific storage vessels that can provide a high enough pressure to replenish a vehicle.
