From pilot fleet to series production: the new BMW iX5 Hydrogen.

GCF · Sunday at 5:53 PM

Testing the new BMW iX5 Hydrogen prototypes, Aschheim (09/25).

For the first time at BMW: five drivetrain variants in one vehicle.
BMW’s technology-open approach is a strategic success factor.
HyMoS initiative to promote development of local hydrogen ecosystems.

New York, NY/Woodcliff Lake, NJ – September 21, 2025… Today, BMW announced it will produce a new vehicle with five different drivetrain technologies. The new BMW X5 will be the first model to offer customers a choice of battery electric, plug-in hybrid, gasoline, diesel (in markets outside the US), and hydrogen fuel cell technology. In addition, the HyMoS (Hydrogen Mobility at Scale) initiative is designed to promote the development of hydrogen ecosystems and refueling stations in metropolitan areas and aims for an initial pilot implementation in Germany.

“By launching the new BMW X5 with a choice of five drivetrain variants, we are once again demonstrating our leading position as a technology pioneer,” says Joachim Post, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Development at an BMW event in New York. “Hydrogen has an essential part to play in global decarbonization, which is why we are committed to driving the technology forward.”

Technology-open approach is a strategic success factor.

Product diversity continues to be a key success factor for BMW. A wide-ranging portfolio of drivetrains – encompassing internal combustion engines, plug-in hybrids, battery electric drive systems and, starting with the new BMW iX5 Hydrogen in 2028, hydrogen fuel cell technology – lays the foundations for successfully meeting the varying demands and needs of customers worldwide both now and in the future.

Flexible manufacturing structures and high levels of integration expertise enable this array of drivetrain technologies to be implemented efficiently in the new BMW X5 range in terms of development, purchasing, and production. This means the BMW model line-up will include two types of electric drivetrain (battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell) from 2028, underlining the rigorous application of the brand’s technology-open approach.

The new BMW iX5 Hydrogen.

Following successful testing of the pilot fleet worldwide, the new BMW iX5 Hydrogen will enter the market as the brand’s first-ever series-produced hydrogen-powered model. “The new BMW iX5 Hydrogen will be a true BMW – pioneering in its class and delivering the BMW-typical driving pleasure,” says Michael Rath, Vice President Hydrogen Vehicles BMW Group.

The drive technology is based on the third-generation fuel cell system that BMW is developing in collaboration with the Toyota Motor Corporation. This technological advancement paves the way for a system with a more compact design that is also more powerful and efficient, thereby increasing range and output while reducing energy consumption.

Benefits of hydrogen-powered technology.

Hydrogen is recognized as a promising future energy source for global decarbonization. It acts as an effective storage medium for renewable energy sources, helping to balance supply and demand and enabling a more stable and reliable integration of renewables into the energy grid. Hydrogen is the missing piece for completing the electric mobility puzzle where battery electric

vehicles are not the optimal solution.

HyMoS initiative: alliance for strengthening the hydrogen infrastructure.

As well as developing the new BMW iX5 Hydrogen, BMW is also actively involved in efforts to expand the hydrogen refueling network. The HyMoS (Hydrogen Mobility at Scale) initiative was established to support hydrogen ecosystems for mobility in cooperation with industry and institutional partners. The aim of this initiative is to increase the economic viability of hydrogen mobility ecosystems by pooling the demand for all types of vehicles, including trucks, buses, and passenger cars. This will help to reach an optimal distribution and usage of hydrogen stations. The initiative supports existing hydrogen ecosystem projects in achieving their full potential by sharing experiences across projects and providing ground support of its industry partners. A pilot phase started with the support of existing ecosystems in Germany and France to gather experiences for deployment to further metropolitan areas and a potential later expansion to other countries.

BMW Group in the United States

BMW of North America, LLC was established 50 years ago to support the sales, marketing and distribution of BMW automobiles and motorcycles in the U.S. In 1993 BMW Group Financial Services NA, LLC was founded, and one year later BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC began assembling vehicles in South Carolina. In 2002 and 2003, BMW Group established MINI USA, and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC relaunching two iconic brands and rounding out its product portfolio.

Today, the BMW Group has a nationwide corporate footprint in the U.S. which consists of nearly 30 locations in 12 different states. Beyond the National Sales Company and Financial Services headquarters in Woodcliff Lake, NJ, its manufacturing plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina, and numerous other operational facilities, BMW Group in the U.S. also includes Designworks, a strategic design consultancy in Santa Monica, CA, BMW Group Technology Office USA, a technology research and development center in Silicon Valley, and BMW i Ventures, a venture capital fund, also in Silicon Valley.

BMW Group Plant Spartanburg is the largest single BMW production facility in the world, and the global center of competence for BMW Sports Activity Vehicles including the X3, X4, X5, X6, X7, and XM. The plant assembles more than 1,500 vehicles each day, and up to 450,000 annually. Since 1994, Plant Spartanburg has assembled over 7 million BMW vehicles in the U.S.

The BMW Group sales organization in the U.S. is represented through a network of 350 BMW retailers, 147 BMW motorcycle retailers, 104 MINI passenger car dealers, and 38 Rolls-Royce Motor Car dealers. The company’s activities provide and support over 120,000 jobs across the U.S. and contribute more than 43.3 billion to the U.S. economy annually.