Hydrogen can be used to provide power for transport in two ways:
- Hydrogen combustion engines burn hydrogen instead of petrol or diesel to produce power for vehicles
- Hydrogen fuel cells use the hydrogen to generate electricity
BMW uses both of these options. Whilst mainly focusing on combustion power, BMW sees the fuel cell as a source of energy supplying electric power to the on-board network in place of a conventional alternator, for example, hydrogen fuel cells could provide power for air conditioning.
BMW has worked hard for international leadership in hydrogen technology research and development for over 25 years. The focus in this process has been not only on engine technology, but also on the recovery, storage and transfer of hydrogen into the car itself. BMW is currently contributing to the development of hydrogen filling stations.
Pursuing BMW Group's CleanEnergy strategy, BMW researchers and engineers have focused not only on the hydrogen combustion engine, but also on other alterative drive concepts, developing promising technologies in the process.
BMW's EfficientDynamics programme forms the basis of the company's strategy for improving driving performance, whilst significantly reducing fuel consumption and is central to BMW's commitment to sustainable mobility.
EfficientDynamics comprises a range of related technologies, focusing on short, medium and long term innovations, through which CO2 emissions across BMW's entire product range can be reduced.
To find out more about BMW's EfficientDynamics programme, click here to visit www.bmw.com
Find out more about the development of hydrogen as an energy source from the 1700s, when Henry Cavendish discovered that the reaction of hydrogen and oxygen could form water, to the development of the BMW Hydrogen 7 car and beyond with the Hydrogen Timeline.
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Hydrogen Timeline | | PDF - 705Kb |