experimental drivetrain and Mad
Max-spec bodywork.
This isn't BMW's Mad Max moment,
despite that '80s-spec bodywork. No,
this is an experimental BMW i8
supercar, reworked as a hydrogen fuel-
cell vehicle.
It was presented at one of BMW's Group
Innovation Days at its testing ground in
France, which, as the name suggests, is a
day full of weird and wonderful things we
might see in the future. Things like the
i8's "standard" drivetrain in a 2 Series
Active Tourer; a water-injected BMW
M4 engine with more power; and of
course, this unnamed, i8-based hydrogen
FCV and a hydrogen 5 Series GT.
We're told this hydrogen i8 prototype
was actually built in 2012 – before BMW
signed a collaboration deal with Toyota –
and is one of the very first i8 test mules
made.
So it sits on the i8 platform, using – we
suspect – much carbon fibre and many
lightweight materials. Also, there's more
than a whiff of Terminator/Mad Max
spec, future-Armageddon styling about
it.
This i8 test vehicle gets a tunnel tank
mounted in the middle of the car, capable
of storing hydrogen at 350-bar pressure,
with an estimated range of over 300
miles (483km).
This hydrogen feeds a fuel cell stack –
built in partnership with Toyota – with
the resulting power reaching an electric
motor. Total system power stands at
268bhp.
It'll do zero to 62mph in around six
seconds, and top out at 124mph (200km/
h). Not exactly lightning, you'll agree.
But, BMW reckons that this hydrogen
tech allows for emission-free driving,
"instantaneous power delivery and
impressive dynamics" and refuelling in
under five minutes.
"Fuel cell technology makes an ideal
addition to both the BMW i models and,
in the future, the series-produced models
from the BMW brand," says BMW.
"Storing hydrogen in a cryogenic
pressure vessel can, depending on the
type of vehicle, allow an operating range
comparable with that of conventional
vehicles powered by combustion
engines."
Though bear in mind because the car was
built in 2012, the tech is probably a little
off the pace. BMW also told us that
because the emphasis is on "long
distance driving", we're more likely to
see a hydrogen-powered 5 Series before
we see a hydrogen-powered i8.
As such, you'll see from the above
pictures that BMW also fitted this
experimental drivetrain into a 5 Series
Gran Turismo, and maps out a four-
pronged approach to its powertrains:
efficient, turbocharged combustion
engines, plug-in hybrids, full battery EVs
and hydrogen.
More importantly, how much do you
want a zero-emissions future sports car
with Terminator bodywork?
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