Skip advert
Advertisement

BMW 5 Series GT FCEV hydrogen fuel cell prototype review

BMW is trying to circumvent future range anxiety by fitting a hydrogen fuel cell to a 5 Series Gran Turismo

BMW was looking into fuel cell technology more than 30 years ago and it has had some success in the field with the Hydrogen 7 and H2R models of the 2000s. So if anyone can make this marriage of two futuristic technologies work, it can – and, with some refinements, we can easily see this BMW 5 Series GT FCEV drivetrain making its parent company’s dream of a “technologically mature, customer-ready vehicle for 2020” come true.

Advertisement - Article continues below

The BMW 5 Series GT Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle is a very early BMW research and development prototype fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV). Born out of the German firm’s collaboration with Toyota, it’s an attempt to kill off two of the spectres hanging around current hybrids in one fell swoop; namely, range anxiety and truly zero-emissions running at all times.

BMW’s fledgling technology has been installed into the chassis of a 5 Series Gran Turismo model. The drivetrain uses a 200- to 400-cell stack hydrogen array in place of the engine at the front. The fuel tank and its housing is a large, cylindrical device that sits longitudinally in the 5 GT’s chassis in place of the prop shaft. This tank can hold either 4.5kg of hydrogen fuel, supplied at 700bar, for an approximate range of 280 miles, or 7.1kg of cryo-compressed gas, supplied at 350bar, so that the 5 GT can travel around 437 miles.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

Used - available now

Picanto

2023 Kia

Picanto

25,579 milesManualPetrol1.0L

Cash £10,900
View Picanto
Renegade

2019 Jeep

Renegade

37,528 milesAutomaticDiesel1.6L

Cash £12,500
View Renegade
Kamiq

2021 Skoda

Kamiq

45,025 milesAutomaticPetrol1.0L

Cash £14,000
View Kamiq
Qashqai

2022 Nissan

Qashqai

38,276 milesManualPetrol1.3L

Cash £15,000
View Qashqai

Best electric cars to buy now

The electric motor and its two-stage reduction gear transmission are housed in the rear axle. Essentially, it’s best to think of the hydrogen fuel cell as a ‘range extender’ for a battery-electric vehicle (BEV).

BMW was at pains to point out the car’s R&D status and that a production version is two product cycles away, but even so, the signs are promising. Aside from a loud whooshing noise as the compressor underneath forced air into the fuel cell, the car was as quiet and torquey as you’d expect of an electric vehicle rated at 242bhp.

Acceleration up to 60mph felt rapid and the 5 GT generally handled like a conventional vehicle, although at this juncture brake feel obviously required work. BMW says the hydrogen system weighs 160kg and thus brings with it a 100kg weight penalty over a conventional combustion engine model, although the passenger compartment was hardly any different from a normal 5 GT's.

The benefits are that the FCEV can run in zero emissions mode all the time, rather than for short periods as with a plug-in hybrid. Refuelling currently takes less than five minutes but BMW assured us that soon, fuelling will be as quick as in a contemporary petrol or diesel car. The crucial factor in FCEV success is infrastructure – hydrogen filling station targets for various key countries/regions include California aiming for 100 by 2020, Germany having 400 by 2023, Japan having 800 by 2025 and South Korea bringing 500 on line by 2030.

Skip advert
Advertisement

New & used car deals

Skoda Kodiaq

Skoda Kodiaq

RRP £38,140Avg. savings £3,019 off RRP*Used from £11,895
Nissan Qashqai

Nissan Qashqai

RRP £27,415Avg. savings £5,924 off RRP*Used from £12,056
MG MG4

MG MG4

RRP £26,995Avg. savings £6,040 off RRP*Used from £13,000
Audi A3

Audi A3

RRP £26,295Avg. savings £2,549 off RRP*Used from £11,890
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Car Deal of the Day: A Volkswagen Golf R Estate for less than a GTI
VW Golf R Estate - front cornering

Car Deal of the Day: A Volkswagen Golf R Estate for less than a GTI

The Golf R Estate is one of the best performance estates around – and right now it’s criminally cheap. It’s our Deal of the Day for 9 June.
News
9 Jun 2025
New BYD Dolphin Surf Comfort review: the best BYD yet
BYD Dolphin Surf Comfort - front

New BYD Dolphin Surf Comfort review: the best BYD yet

The new BYD Dolphin Surf Comfort is arguably the Chinese brand's most convincing model in its range
Road tests
11 Jun 2025
Best cars to own: Driver Power 2025 results
Driver Power 2025 - header

Best cars to own: Driver Power 2025 results

The best new cars to own in the UK right now according to the people who already do. It’s the 2025 Driver Power results!
News
10 Jun 2025