Bartek Sikorski

I started reading car magazines in the late Seventies, in the thick of the doom-and-gloom days of the car industry. Everyone then was predicting the end of enjoyable driving and “fun” cars, as new emissions requirements were sapping the life out of everything. Back then, even a Corvette with a 5.7-liter V8 produced a mere 230 horsepower. The future, indeed, did not look promising, but technology eventually overcame those challenges. Today’s engines are capable of producing that same power with half the displacement, twice the economy, and virtually no pollution.

We find ourselves at a similar watershed today, only this time we’re not only looking to reduce pollution but also our dependence on fossil fuels. The goal is to eventually produce vehicles that generate no harmful emissions while operating on a renewable fuel source, and for that reason companies like BMW are looking to hydrogen as the solution. The reasons are simple- hydrogen is the most common element on the planet, and when it combusts, the only exhaust is water. But hydrogen represents its own challenges, not the least of which are separating it from other elements, storing it and establishing a commercial infrastructure.

Not so much a challenge as an unknown is how hydrogen will actually be utilized for personal transportation, with common wisdom leaning toward eventual electric cars powered by hydrogen fuel cells. But that technology is years, perhaps decades, off. On top of that, it doesn’t promise to be the type of driving experience today’s enthusiasts will be longing for.

Fortunately, BMW is taking a first step into the hydrogen future with its Hydrogen 7 cars. Based on production 7 Series sedans, these prototypes employ conventional internal-combustion engines converted for operation on either liquid hydrogen or conventional gasoline. This approach not only uses available technology (speeding the advance of hydrogen generation, storage, and infrastructure), it also delivers a dynamic experience familiar to today’s drivers, especially those who already drive BMWs.

Although there is just a handful of Hydrogen 7’s in the country at the moment, they are actually considered production models. Some are in private hands, while others are being utilized institutionally. Among the lucky few who can be seen tooling around in a Hydrogen 7 is Governor Schwarzenegger of California. Despite our considerably lower profile, we were able to get some seat time in one of these Sevens recently and took it cruising through the bustling streets of Manhattan.

Aside from the reflective foil graphics on the exterior, there is almost nothing to give away the Hydrogen 7 as anything other than a your average, run-of-the-mill 760Li. Strip away the stickers and only the large hydrogen fuel filler port and modest bulge in the hood (to provide clearance for the hydrogen injection valves) distinguish it as something truly uncommon.

Even inside, there are no obtrusive screens, buttons or levers. The few unique controls are integrated into the steering wheel and dashboard as though BMW had already built 100,000 of them. The rear seating area gives up 4.5 inches of legroom compared to a conventional 760Li, making room for the 30-gallon hydrogen fuel tank between the back seats and the trunk. Otherwise, the cabin is sumptuously appointed with walnut and leather and Alcantara.

Starting this car is no different than starting any other BMW. By default, the Hydrogen 7 starts up under gasoline power. Once it reaches operating temperature, it can be switched over to hydrogen propulsion. The switchover is virtually seamless, handled at the mere pressing of the H2 button on the right side of the steering wheel. Other than a slight hiccup during the transition, which could be easily mistaken for a typical misfire, driving on hydrogen feels mostly like driving any other large BMW.

The Hydrogen 7 uses BMW’s 6.0-liter V12 engine as the basis. Pure hydrogen, however, is a different animal than gasoline, burning up to ten times faster than conventional fuels. Accordingly, the engine management system has been programmed to deal with the unique properties of liquid hydrogen, and the resulting output is lower than a normal gasoline V12. And in order to make the car’s performance more predictable, the engine delivers the same output in gasoline mode as it makes in H2 mode. The result is 260 hp at 5100 rpm and 287 lb-ft of torque at 4300 rpm.

Around town, it gets off the line like any other 7, but once under way it seems to lack the mid-range potency required to squirt safely through the last few amber rays of a rapidly-changing traffic light. Some of this is due to the weight- pulling over 5000 pounds of technology is a lot for just 260 horses these days. Nevertheless, BMW claims the Hydrogen 7 will get to 62 mph in nine and a half seconds and will pull to an electronically limited top speed of 143 mph.

Ride and handling are like pretty much any other full-tilt Seven. Aluminum is used extensively in the front suspension to keep weight down, but springs from BMW’s in-house Security 7 model help deal with the added mass that comes with having dual fueling systems.


Our time in BMW’s zeppelin was brief, but it made a significant impression. Suddenly the thought of dwindling fossil fuel supplies and reducing greenhouse gases isn’t sounding so bleak. Just as it did a quarter century ago, technology is overcoming the next major obstacle on the road to more responsible motoring.

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Bartek Sikorski

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BMW has shipped eight zero-emissions Hydrogen 7s over to the UK. The cars will spend the summer at a variety of high-profile events. Press release below.


‘Clean Energy’ comes to the UK next week with the arrival of eight BMW Hydrogen 7 cars. The virtually emissions-free luxury saloons form part of a total fleet of 100 Hydrogen 7 models that are a major landmark in BMW’s CleanEnergy programme: for the first time, Hydrogen 7 models have been produced on the ’standard’ 7 Series production line and will be used in normal day-to-day driving in the UK.
Jim O’Donnell, BMW UK’s managing director, summed up this important step in BMW’s history: “The arrival of our Hydrogen 7 cars could not have come at a better time. Politicians, business leaders, the media and consumers are engaged in healthy debate on the future of energy supply and use. Meanwhile, the automotive industry is committed to cleaner motoring, with a host of possible solutions available today and being developed for the mid- and long-term. BMW is at the core of the future of motoring with tremendous developments in petrol and diesel engines, hybrid powertrains and hydrogen technologies.
“Our EfficientDynamics programme has introduced energy-saving technologies that break through the 60 miles per gallon and one hundred and twenty grams per kilometre CO2 barriers, our new diesels are cleaner and greener than many of today’s hybrids, yet power and performance in all of our cars has improved. Clean, green motoring can also be engaging and dynamic, and the new BMW Hydrogen 7 models epitomise that philosophy,” O’Donnell concluded.
The fleet of liquid hydrogen powered cars is set to continue its rigorous programme of driving activities on UK roads. They will be in active service as support vehicles at a number of high profile events over the summer as well as transporting key participants at industrial, business and political conferences. A select group of high-profile VIP users will also take delivery of a car for short periods of time in order to experience the ‘normality’ of emissions-free motoring.
Uwe Ellinghaus, BMW UK’s marketing director clarified the importance of these hydrogen cars: “The age-old chicken-and-egg debate has now been resolved. BMW can produce hydrogen-powered cars on the production line and the time is right to engage with business leaders and politicians in order to progress the development of a hydrogen highway – the fuelling and infrastructure requirements that make hydrogen a viable fuel for the consumer.
“We hope that experiencing these cars in normal driving situations will encourage people to join the debate. Without doubt, it will take many years for a suitable infrastructure to develop that makes hydrogen power an easy option for the consumer, but all indications are hydrogen is the only genuine long-term sustainable power source for cars. Public hydrogen filling stations have been developed in Germany and California, and the presence of BMW Hydrogen 7 cars in the UK will undoubtedly bring the future closer for British drivers,” Ellinghaus concluded.
The BMW Hydrogen 7 cars will be in action at a number of high-profile events starting on 22 May at the SMMT Test Day at Millbrook followed immediately afterwards when they will be used in the build up to the following week’s BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth. The Goodwood Festival of Speed and the Revolve alternative fuel Brighton to London drive event are also in the diary, as well as a number of conferences and environmental summits.
The BMW Hydrogen 7
The BMW Hydrogen 7 is based on the existing 7 Series and comes equipped with an internal combustion engine capable of running on hydrogen or petrol. In hydrogen mode the car emits nothing more than water vapour. Powered by a 260hp 12-cylinder engine, the Hydrogen 7 accelerates from zero to 62mph in 9.5 seconds before going on to an electronically limited 143mph top speed.
With its unique dual power engine, the driver of a Hydrogen 7 can switch quickly and conveniently from hydrogen to conventional petrol power at the press of a steering wheel-mounted button. The dual power technology means the car has a cruising range in excess of 125 miles in the hydrogen mode with a further 300 miles under petrol power. To make this possible the BMW Hydrogen 7 comes with a conventional 74-litre petrol tank and an additional hydrogen fuel tank holding up to 8kgs of liquid hydrogen. Such flexibility means the driver of a BMW Hydrogen 7 is able to use the vehicle at all times, even when the nearest hydrogen filling station is out of range. A filling station has been developed in Wembley to support BMW’s plans.
For undiluted driver enjoyment, engine power and torque in the Hydrogen 7 remain exactly the same regardless of which fuel is in current use. The driver can switch between the two without any effect on driving behaviour or performance. The car always gives priority to the use of hydrogen but, should this run out, it automatically switches to petrol power.
Unlike many previous hydrogen concept cars showcased by rival manufacturers the BMW Hydrogen 7 heralds a milestone in the history of the car. It is a full production ready vehicle, which has met all the stringent processes and final sign-off criteria that every current BMW model undergoes.
Why hydrogen?
The BMW Group has been committed to hydrogen technology as a means of reducing car emissions, in particular CO2 emissions, for over 20 years. When running in the hydrogen mode, the BMW Hydrogen 7 essentially emits nothing but water vapour. And, unlike fossil fuels and traditional petrol, hydrogen is available in virtually infinite supply when renewable energies such as solar, wind and wave power are used to produce the liquid hydrogen. Stored in a hi-tech tank which keeps the fuel at a pressure of 3-5 bar and a consistent temperature of –250°C, liquid hydrogen offers significant advantages in energy density compared to other possible alternative fuel sources to enhance the cruising range of the car.
BMW continues to develop ultra efficient, yet very dynamic petrol engines that significantly reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Together with clean performance diesel cars and the technologically advanced hybrid systems currently under development, the BMW Group has a clear strategy for sustainable mobility with hydrogen as the ultimate goal.

Osnabrueck

So what happens when we're all driving hydrogen cars? Will our cities become humid, muggy swamps? I don't know if I'm too crazy about the idea of hot water vapor being spewed everywhere, but maybe the effect is harmless in practice.

Pagani

Does not sound that ominous considering that currently it is [essentially] gassified coal being spewed--so water vapor seems a good alternative. Plus, vapors actually spend very little time on the surface and eventually climb to other layers of the atmosphere.

Bartek Sikorski

Auto Express: First Drive BMW Hydrogen 7

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