BMW officially announces the BMW Hydrogen 7
Filed under: Emerging Technologies, Hydrogen, BMW
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Closely following a sighting of a Hydrogen-powered 7 series during testing, BMW officially announced the Hydrogen 7 today. The car is touted as the first hydrogen-drive luxury performance automobile for everyday use. The BMW Hydrogen 7 will be built in a limited series, and sold to select customers in the U.S. and overseas in 2007. The engine in the Hydrogen 7, a derivative of the 7 series 12 cylinder engine, is capable of running on gasoline or hydrogen, and produces 260 hp. The car will accelerate from 0 to 62.1 mpg in 9.5 seconds. The ability to run on both gasoline and hydrogen gives the Hydrogen 7 a range of more than 400 miles. The high tech hydrogen storage tank has a capacity of approximately 17.6 lb of liquid hydrogen, giving the Hydrogen 7 a cruising range in hydrogen mode upwards of 125 miles. The gasoline mode accounts for an additional 300 miles of cruising range. The driver is the one who decides which fuel to use, with a smooth transition between both operating modes, since the engine power and torque remain identical regardless of the fuel used.
[Source: BMW, full press release after the jump. Also, see more pictures of the Hydrogen 7 here]
Munich/Los Angeles, CA - September 12, 2006... BMW today announced the introduction of the new BMW Hydrogen 7, the world's first hydrogen-drive luxury performance automobile for everyday use. The car - a vehicle that has undergone the regular Product Development Process - will be built in a limited series and deployed to selected users in the U.S. and other countries in 2007. It is equipped with an internal combustion engine capable of running either on hydrogen or on gasoline and based on the BMW 7 Series.
Hydrogen technology dramatically reduces emissions generated by personal transport and, in particular, minimizes the emission of CO2. Running in the hydrogen mode, the BMW Hydrogen 7 essentially emits nothing but vapor. And, unlike fossil fuels and traditional gasoline, hydrogen is available in virtually infinite supply. With the BMW Hydrogen 7, the BMW Group is laying down a marker for sustainable mobility. This car will play a pioneering role in driving forward hydrogen technologies. BMW has gained an excellent reputation for significantly reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by using ultra efficient, yet very dynamic gasoline engines. Together with clean performance diesel cars and the technologically advanced hybrid systems currently under development within the BMW EfficientDynamics project, the BMW Group has a clear strategy for sustainable mobility with hydrogen as the ultimate solution.
With all the comforts and amenities of a non-hydrogen BMW 7 Series, the BMW Hydrogen 7 is powered by a 260 hp twelve-cylinder engine and accelerates from 0-62.1 mph in 9.5 seconds. Top speed is limited electronically to 143 mph. The BMW Hydrogen 7 also features a dual-mode power unit - controlled at the touch of a button - that can switch quickly and conveniently from hydrogen to conventional premium gasoline.
The car's dual-mode drive provides an overall cruising range of more than 400 miles and enables the driver of a BMW Hydrogen 7 to enjoy virtually unlimited mobility, even when far away from the nearest hydrogen filling station. This technology is a viable solution until the hydrogen infrastructure is fully developed.
BMW CleanEnergy: paving the way into the future.
The BMW Hydrogen 7 perfectly captures the essence of the BMW CleanEnergy strategy. By using hydrogen produced from water and renewable energy, such as wind, sun or hydropower, in an internal combustion engine, the car's emissions are essentially nothing but vapor. And, with this emitted water vapor, the cycle can start again and the dream of sustainable mobility without using fossil fuel resources and without impacting the earth's climate can become a reality. The complete change from a fossil fuel infrastructure to a hydrogen economy will require decades, but with the Hydrogen 7, BMW shows that bringing hydrogen technology to the road is indeed feasible.
BMW Hydrogen 7: Industrializing hydrogen technologies.
The BMW Hydrogen 7 has successfully completed the entire Product Development Process (PDP) obligatory for all new BMWs. In this process, all components of the new technology were integrated into the overall vehicle according to the same challenging criteria applied to "regular" production cars. The BMW Hydrogen 7 is not a hand made concept car, but rather, a milestone in industrializing hydrogen technologies for automotive use.
The knowledge gained in the PDP has not only made a decisive contribution to the everyday driving qualities of the BMW Hydrogen 7, but it will also significantly impact the development and production of future hydrogen car concepts, with the principle of dual-mode drive and the features of other components now going through the strict test of everyday driving practice.
Dual-mode combustion engine for enhanced flexibility.
While cruising range is a significant consideration to consumers in any car, BMW recognizes that it is of critical importance in a hydrogen-powered vehicle, because there is not yet a full network of hydrogen filling stations in the United States.
For precisely this reason, the BMW Hydrogen 7 features dual-mode drive technology and a combustion engine capable of running on both hydrogen and gasoline. The cruising range in the hydrogen mode is more than 125 miles, with another 300 miles in the gasoline mode. Thus, the driver of a BMW Hydrogen 7 is able to use the vehicle without problem even when the nearest hydrogen filling station is far away.
The BMW Hydrogen 7 clearly proves that liquid hydrogen may by all means be used as a source of energy for the production car. By introducing the BMW Hydrogen 7, the BMW Group establishes powerful momentum for the ongoing development of a supply infrastructure serving above all to set up additional hydrogen filling stations providing sustained mobility on a broad basis also in the future.
Two tanks: Smooth transitions and maximum cruise range.
To offer the longest conceivable cruising range, the BMW Hydrogen 7 comes with both a conventional 74-litre (16.3 Imp gal) gasoline tank and an additional fuel tank taking up approximately 8 kilos or 17.6 lb of liquid hydrogen. Stored in a high tech tank, liquid hydrogen offers significant advantages in energy density enhancing the cruising range of the hydrogen car.
The driver is able to switch from hydrogen to gasoline mode manually by pressing a button on the multifunction steering wheel. Because engine power and torque remain exactly the same regardless of the mode of operation, switching from one mode to another has no effect on the driving behavior and performance of the BMW Hydrogen 7.
The control system in BMW Hydrogen 7 gives priority to the use of hydrogen. And, should one of the two types of fuel be fully consumed, the system will automatically switch over to the other type of fuel in the interest of secure, ongoing supply.
Luxury class comfort for four.
The BMW Hydrogen 7 is a four-seater with the two passengers at the rear enjoying the same high standard of comfort in the world's first hydrogen car developed for everyday use as in one of BMW's "regular" luxury performance vehicles.
The BMW Hydrogen 7 comes with an unusually wide range of standard features. In addition to the high level of equipment featured from the start in the BMW 760i, the BMW Hydrogen 7 comes inter alia with climate comfort composite glazing, BMW's high-end automatic air conditioning, auxiliary heating, electric seat heating for the driver, front passenger and rear seats, lumbar supports, electric seat adjustment with memory function on the front seats, ISOFIX child seat fastenings, Park Distance Control, a rain sensor, exterior and interior mirrors with automatic anti-dazzle, Soft Close Automatic for the doors and a headlight assistant. A complete entertainment and communication package adds to the comfort a BMW 7 Series can provide.
Progress without compromises.
BMW Hydrogen 7 emphatically proves that changing over to an alternative form of energy doesn't mean missing out on superior driving dynamics and comfort. The departure from fossil fuel does not in any way mean giving up the dynamics and performance typical of a BMW. Mobility of tomorrow and driving pleasure of today are compatible, with the drive concept of BMW Hydrogen 7 being directly transferable to future models. Driving a car of this caliber will be just as thrilling in the future as it is today, but at the same time cleaner than ever before.
BMW Group: "Sustainability. It can be done."
Sustainable action and corporate success belong together. With this clear commitment, the BMW Group has integrated sustainability as part of its corporate strategy for many years and takes responsibility for its products throughout their entire life cycle - from production to end-of-life recycling. The BMW CleanEnergy strategy aims to create a sustainable future for individual mobility independent of fossil fuels. With BMW EfficientDynamics, the company enhances fuel economy with every new product while still offering the customer the best in class performance.
With recycling-optimized product design and life cycle assessment, BMW reduces the impact on the environment. The use of benchmark technologies in its clean production program significantly reduces the consumption of water and energy during the production process. There are many examples of the advantages of adhering to BMW's mantra, "Sustainability. It can be done." The benefits are enjoyed by not only the company and its associates, but also the environment and, most importantly, the customer. To learn more about BMW Group and sustainability, please visit www.bmwgroup.com/sustainability.
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Reader Comments (Page 2 of 2)
9-15-2006 @ 4:40AM
Shane Moore said...
Hydrogen is the solution, one way or another the technology will be discovered (if it is not already out there) to convert water into it's component parts, efficiently and economically, I have no doubt of this.(I'm even certain this has already been done, just think of the implications!)
However, the large oil companies (oligopolies) wish to completely drain every last drop of profit from their existing infrastructure, after all from a purely economic point of view it would be considered "unprofitable" to waste all that infrastructure that is generating so many billions of dollars each day for a multi-trillion dollar investment in a hydrogen delivery infrastructure, that would eventually be duplicated by smaller companies, as the hydrogen will ultimately come from water, which no one company can control, unlike the control they have over oil.
You see there is an old boys school of thought on making money that goes like this... "if it's not broken (i.e. multi billion dollar profits) don't fix it... get it?
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9-15-2006 @ 7:12AM
argodelmar said...
Some of you are correct and some of you need a little more clarification. No problem…
H2 is not always H2. And LH2 is a whole different animal. And of course, Hybrid is not Hydrogen.
H2 can be stored in a gaseous form under pressure or at ambient temperature without pressure. Because H2’s energy density, it take up a lot of space to get the same bang for your buck (or volume) as petroleum. GH2 under high pressure is more dangerous than LH2 in many ways. LH2 is usually stored at low pressure ~ 3-6 bar (less than a champagne bottle which has 7 bar). When released into an ambient environment, it dissipates almost immediately without much risk of explosion so long there are no ignition sources in the area. H2 under pressure (the industry’s current standard is ~ 300 bar, while some research is attempting to reach close to 700 bar) is more volatile due to the inherent explosive factor and subsequent ignition source of a container under extreme pressure. Tests done on CGH2 show it to be a safe substance under the right precautions. Road accidents and crash testing will prove this to be true or false.
LH2 on the other hand is very hard to handle because is must always be kept cold -253C°. Above this temperature, LH2 begins to boil and expand. As an example Gaseous H2 is ~ 830 times more voluminous than LH2. This means that with LH2, the BMW Hydrogen 7 gets better range than it would if it used GH2 and the tank would need to be much larger than it is today.
Hybrid is only the inevitable electrification of the internal combustion engine, just like carburetors were phased out, an electrical motor will be phased in. It’s nothing more spectacular than that. Manufacturers have different approaches. BMW has a holistic approach rather than a piece meal one like some.
The Hydrogen 7 is a stepping stone and a bridge to a new type of energy carrier (H2 is not an energy source, but rather a storage for energy released or collected from another source (sun, wind, geo-thermal, nuclear, …). Unfortunately, most of the worlds H2 is produced from fossil fuels :-ö
The GM Model is a far reaching concept, which will perhaps in the distant future be a replacement for some modes of transportation like the ICE (internal combustion engine) powered personal vehicle. But it will remain to be seen how technology develops. FC’s need to withstand horrendous conditions as ICE’s do today. Unfortunately, experts believe this will be a long road until FC’s are far enough along to replace your average car. Heavy industry is also a major question mark.
The BMW concept is, as I mentioned, a bridge to the future. The Bi-Fuel concept allows a driver to drive in either mode, depending on fuel availability. Of course it will take some time for the costly infrastructure to develop, but as it does organically, like the petroleum business, the vehicle can run more and more on H2. The FC model from GM can’t do that, which is, realistically speaking, its major downfall in 2006. In 2020, this could be a different story. We will have to wait and see.
The BMW Hydrogen 7 is obviously not a redeveloped or completely new developed vehicle. It looks like the LH2 technology way squeezed into the vehicles original package, which is very clever. This way, BMW can save millions in R&D costs and is avoiding any major risks of developing a car that no one wants and being stuck with very costly initial costs like a new production facility or expensive tooling.
The FC and the H2-ICE story will continue to be exciting to watch. It is important to remember that if the industry moves too fast or is mandated by government to eliminate CO2 before the technology is viable or the infrastructure is available, billions will need to be spent for retraining and revamping or the current production facilities and well as suppliers in the ICE world we know today. The industry will be bankrupt and we will not need to care about the silly quips above. We will be back to living in urban areas, riding bicycles and horses before you know it.
Cheers,
Argodelmar
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9-16-2006 @ 7:18AM
jeffrafa said...
"It is substantially more hazardous -- more risk for less benefit than almost any other alternative."
I beg to differ about the safety of hydrogen as an alternative fuel.
A lot of people seem to have bad sentiments about hydrogen primarily due to the propaganda released in the false claims about the cause of incidents like the hindenburg.
I have done research into hydrogen for use in ICE's and into storage mediums for science projects, and it is far safer than any fuel currently used. First of all, the requirements on the containers are absurd, including having to hold up to repeated machine gun fire and high explosives - try that on your current gas tank. In addition, even if you manage to puncture the tank, it is still much safer because it disperses into the atmosphere so quickly that it extinguishes itself, unlike natural gas or gasoline, both of which pool on the ground and can quickly spread fires if ignited.
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9-18-2006 @ 10:21PM
John Quinn said...
Hydrogen is readily found as a component of water. To make the BMW 7 concept available to users in an affordable manner, we need to find a method or catalyst to convert H2O into its components.
Congratulations to BMW for engineering a car concept that seems to make sense.
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9-29-2006 @ 8:01PM
Pete Ashdown said...
Electrolysis is inefficient, but if the electricity is cheap clean and plentiful, that becomes less of an issue.
The question I have is whether ultracapacitors or batteries can ever achieve the recharge time and energy density that hydrogen has. I view this as the two biggest problems with electric cars. Right now I recharge my gas car in less than five minutes.
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10-16-2006 @ 6:50PM
Six said...
LIQUID Hydrogen
"In terms of energy density, liquid hydrogen takes a lot more space than other fuels to store the same amount of energy. Four gallons of liquid hydrogen are needed to match the same energy content of one gallon of gasoline."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquid_hydrogen
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10-27-2006 @ 7:17PM
Jack Bock said...
Simply stated: Why don't we use a version of the Stanley Steamer, with a heat base of nuclear heated stems, creating heat and water to steam to operate a vehicle. The vehicle doesn''t have to compete with your living room, or impress your neighbors or your girl friend - It just has to get you from point A to Point B and back again. Excuse me it this sounds too simple. You can all stand up now and cheer for GREEN. For real!!!!!!!!!!
Reply
11-10-2006 @ 5:32PM
Jeff said...
I think the car companies are all on to something? There's a lot of them trying to make hydrogen cars.
I'm not sure, but I read somewhere that biodiesel is being cracked using a catalyst to release it's hydrogen atoms.
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