BMW Group and Toyota Motor Corporation Collaboration To Bring New Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles
The partnership promises to lower costs of fuel cell technology and establish refuelling infrastructure
The BMW Group and the Toyota Motor Corporation are collaborating to bring vehicles with a new generation of fuel cell powertrain technology to the roads, thereby advancing the hydrogen economy and pushing zero-emission technology to the next level. The automotive giants will jointly develop the powertrain system with the core fuel cell technology (the individual third-generation fuel cells) for both commercial and passenger vehicle applications. The resultant product will be utilized in individual models by both BMW and Toyota, but each of these products will maintain their distinct brand identities.Â
After successfully testing the BMW iX5 Hydrogen pilot fleet worldwide, the BMW Group is now preparing for series production of vehicles with hydrogen drive systems in 2028 on the basis of the jointly developed next-generation powertrain technology. The series production models will be integrated into BMW’s existing portfolio, i.e. BMW will offer an existing model with a variant having this hydrogen fuel cell drive system, complementing other battery electric vehicles (BEV), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) and internal combustion engines (ICE).
The pathway to realizing the full potential of hydrogen mobility includes its use in commercial vehicles and the establishment of a refuelling infrastructure for all mobility applications and both, BMW Group and Toyota Motor Corporation are supporting the expansion of both hydrogen refuelling and battery electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Both companies are encouraging sustainable hydrogen supply by creating demand, working closely with companies that are building low-carbon hydrogen production, distribution, and refuelling facilities. This collaboration also promises to drive down the costs of fuel cell technology.