BMW nears the end of a 20 year journey to alternative auto power

German automaker BMW has confirmed it is close to launching a hydrogen fuel-cell version of its X5 SUV. Like most new technology developments, the iX5 Hydrogen is an ‘umbrella’ vehicle, aiming to spread the word about hydrogen as a fuel using the brand’s high end 4WD and starting with demonstrations and real-road testing. The project is another instance in a developing relationship between BMW and Toyota that started with the Japanese brand adopting the BMW Z4 as the basis for its new Supra, Toyota is building the fuel cell units for BMW to fit into the iX5. The announcement is also seen by some as redefining the current push toward plain EV vehicles. Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles create their own electrical power using water in a complex but effective chemical process on board the host vehicle. Emissions are limited to water vapour. Exciting news for the motoring public, though not exactly the news politicians trying to push the public onto trains and buses were needing to read right now – with Tasmania breaking ground on a synthetic fuel plant (eFuel) that will produce millions of litres of fossil fuel substitute a year from 2024. The Tasmanian venture is carbon-positive, capturing more free carbon from the environment than is used in production processes or in the vehicles using the fuel, and it is funded by none other than ICE technology leaders Porsche. In a few years we may look back on EVs as more of a 'right now' stop gap solution and be looking toward BMW and POrsche as the saviour of private mobility solutions.