BMW to roll out hydrogen-powered 7 Series sedan

BMW AG, a German manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles said Tuesday that next year it will build versions of its 7 Series sedan that can run on hydrogen or gasoline, and make a small number available for test drives by a select group of users in the U.S. and Europe.

The Munich, Germany based world's largest premium carmaker, which has been working on hydrogen fuel technology since 1978, will manufacture and distribute about 100 of the vehicles for a variety of uses.

The BMW Hydrogen 7, which is the world's first hydrogen-drive luxury performance car, would be powered by 12-cylinder internal-combustion engines capable of burning either gasoline or liquefied hydrogen.

Hydrogen technology in particular lessens the emission of CO2 (Carbon Dioxide), so when running in the hydrogen mode, the car essentially emits nothing but vapour. And, unlike fossil fuels and traditional gasoline, hydrogen is available in virtually infinite supply. Liquid hydrogen needs special storage and retail pump systems because the gas must be cooled to minus 425 degrees and would instantly freeze a human hand if touched.

Different from fuel cells, a hydrogen-burning internal-combustion engine cannot eliminate polluting emissions. That's because traces of carbon monoxide are produced whenever engine lubricants are vaporized, and nitrogen oxides are emitted in any combustion process. But, the hydrogen engine's basic byproducts are distilled water and steam, the same as with a fuel cell, and BMW says the hydrogen car is far cleaner than any gasoline car.

On gasoline mode, the car’s gas mileage will be 15 miles per gallon (mpg) in the city and 22 mpg on the highway. The car’s engine is powered by a 260-horsepower, twelve-cylinder engine and accelerates from zero to 62.1 mph in 9.5 seconds. The top speed is limited electronically to 143 mph. The car also features a dual-mode power unit, which can be controlled at the touch of a button that can switch swiftly from hydrogen to conventional premium gasoline.

According to the BMW, car’s dual-mode drive provides an overall cruising range of more than 400 miles and enables virtually unlimited mobility, even when far away from the nearest hydrogen filling station. The cruising range in the hydrogen mode is more than 125 miles, with another 325 miles in the petrol mode. And, to facilitate this duality, the BMW Hydrogen 7 comes with both a conventional 74-litre petrol tank.

Hydrogen as a motor fuel is the answer to many environmental problems since there are no harmful emissions, no depleting of resources, no danger to the atmosphere, and it can be produced from a variety of renewable resources, the company unleashed the information in its website.

Agreed with the German automaker, other auto manufacturers also assert that hydrogen, the most plentiful element on the globe, could eventually replace petroleum as the principal fuel for cars and trucks, although a number of issues are required to be resolved.