Hydrogen-powered BMW X5 set for 2022 launch

Fresh pics and details of the fuel cell-powered BMW X5 have been revealed before it goes on sale in two years.

Created as part of a technical partnership with Toyota that dates back to 2013, BMW says its latest fuel-cell technology will be rolled out for mass production in 2025, following a small number of X5 FCEVs to be uilt from 2022.

Along with revealing pictures of its next-gen FCEV powertrain, BMW says the X5 will come equipped with up to 6kg of compressed hydrogen stored in two 700-bar tanks.

Total power of the hydrogen-powered X5 is claimed to be around 275kW, with the H2 fuel system said to generate 125kW alone.

When not powered by H2 alone, the new BMW-Toyota developed powertrain uses a battery that sits above the electric motor to provide additional performance when accelerating or overtaking.

Clever electronics are said to manage the voltage to the drivetrain and the battery, with the battery charged by both brake regeneration and the fuel-cell.

Claimed to take between three and four minutes to top up, BMW says its first production FCEV takes the same time to fill up as an equivalent petrol or diesel vehicle.

BMW's move to produce a limited series-production FCEV follows in the tyre tracks of Toyota, which first launched its H2-powered Mirai back in 2015.

Until now, BMW has publicly said it would only launch fuel-cell vehicles when the market demanded it, citing a lack of infrastructure as one of the key issues.

It's thought the growing trend to renewable sources of energy such as wind or solar could provide cheaper hydrogen through the electrolysis of water, in turn creating demand for hydrogen-powered cars and trucks.