Automotive giant BMW has offered its virtual insights into the powertrain system for the BMW i Hydrogen Next and reaffirmed its commitment to following a carefully considered and systematic route to emission-free mobility.

As part of this strategy, developing alternative powertrain technologies is a top priority for the group. Its approach also includes careful consideration of differing market and customer requirements as part of the company’s Power of Choice strategy.

“We are convinced that various alternative powertrain systems will exist alongside one another in future, as there is no single solution that addresses the full spectrum of customers’ mobility requirements worldwide” said Klaus Fröhlich, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Research and Development. “The hydrogen fuel cell technology could quite feasibly become the fourth pillar of our powertrain portfolio in the long term. The upper-end models in our extremely popular X family would make particularly suitable candidates here.”

The BMW Group has been working with the Toyota Motor Corporation on fuel cell technology since 2013. Although it has no doubt as to the long-term potential of fuel cell powertrain systems, it will be some time before the company offers its customers a production car powered by a hydrogen fuel cell. This is primarily due to the fact that the right framework conditions are not yet in place.

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Take a look at the complete statement from the BMW AG Development Director Klaus Fröhlich: