So far all the Hydrogen 7s that BMW has produced and distributed have been dual fuel vehicles that are capable of running on either hydrogen or gasoline. This is helpful since the H7 only has a range of about 100 miles from its tank of liquid hydrogen. BMW has now built a mono-fuel hydrogen only version of the H7 that has been optimized for running on the alternative fuel. By not having to compromise the engine to run on gasoline, BMW has been able to improve performance, reduce fuel consumption and extend the range. The mono-fuel H7 was recently tested at the Argonne National Lab which found out the exhaust gases were actually cleaner than the ambient air going into the engine. BMW will release more specifics about the mono-fuel H7 in two weeks at the SAE World Congress. For now, the mono-fuel H7 is just a tech demonstrator with no production plans.

[Source: BMW]

There are many hurdles standing in the way of hydrogen becoming widespread as an energy carrier for our vehicles, either by the direct burning of it in internal combustion engines or in fuel cells. Very few hydrogen refueling centers exist today, and the gas is difficult to capture, transport and store. One thing is certain regarding hydrogen, though: it can offer extremely low emissions, as it does in BMW's hydrogen-burning V12 engine.

BMW's Hydrogen 7 had to be tested at Argonne National Laboratory's Center for Transportation Research because the emissions are so minute that most test-beds would not be able to detect them at all. "The BMW Hydrogen 7's emissions were only a fraction of SULEV level, making it one of the lowest emitting combustion engine vehicles that have been manufactured," said Thomas Wallner, a mechanical engineer at Argonne. In fact, Wallner adds, "the car's engine actively cleans the air. Argonne's testing shows that the Hydrogen 7's 12-cylinder engine actually shows emissions levels that, for certain components, are cleaner than the ambient air that comes into the car's engine."

The emissions from a hydrogen car have never been the problem. The problem is getting the hydrogen. The hope is that as technology continues advancing forward, new ways to capture, store and distribute hydrogen will make it cheaper and more environmentally friendly, allowing the world to consider hydrogen as one method of reducing our oil dependence. Details after the jump.

The first American driver that will get to have a BMW Hydrogen 7 for use as a daily driver on regular roads will be none other than legendary circle track racer Ricky Bobby himself. BMW has turned over the keys to Will Ferrell as they launched their Hydrogen 7 Pioneer Program. Even though the company considers the 7 a production model, BMW isn't selling the cars. They are loaning them to famous people to promote hydrogen technology. Twenty-five of the 100 hydrogen 7s will be coming to US to help promote hydrogen as the fuel of the future. BMW's press release is after the jump.

[Source: BMW]

Earlier Jeremy wrote a post referencing a Detroit News article about a panel discussion on Policies and Issues Affecting Consumer Choices of Vehicles and Fuels at the SAE World Congress in Detroit. I attended that discussion along with several others and wanted to share my own thoughts on it. One consistent theme amongst most of the car-maker representatives on the various panels was that there is no silver bullet that will solve the problems we face. Our future will include a diverse array of fuels and energy sources and drive systems, although the consensus seemed to be that the drive systems will migrate toward electrification.

The notable exception to this seemed to be BMW. In spite of their involvement in both the two-mode and mild hybrid systems with DaimlerChrysler and GM, they seemed to be lukewarm to hybrids. Given the actual real world benefits of parallel hybrids, this may not actually be such a bad position. Instead, short term, they seem more interested in start-stop systems and electrification of accessory drives combined with some limited regen braking capability. These systems are being introduced this year on the 1, 3 and 5 series models. The full hybrid systems won't be coming for another 2-3 years at the earliest.

Continue reading after the jump.

When Margo Oge, director of the EPA's Office of Transportation and Air Quality, mentioned that ethanol production is way past the governments mandates, this article says that Cristoph Huss, BMW senior vice president for science and traffic policy, shook his head. He suggests that BMW still sees hydrogen as the long-term answer to the automotive problems of emissions and energy needs. This, despite the fact that U.S. consumers are shifting more towards renewable fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel. Perhaps this is because the hydrogen economy is very far off, while biofuels are here and now. The question could be asked, how long should we wait for hydrogen before exploring our other options? Even if hydrogen does emerge as the best option long-term, should the short-term solutions be ignored?

It should be noted that BMW is working with DaimlerChrysler and GM on hybrid technology and could possibly bring some of their high-output diesels to the U.S. market. Remember, too, that BMW currently offers their dual-fuel Hydrogen 7 which is capable of running its ICE on hydrogen or gasoline.

[Source: Detroit News]

With the Hydrogen 7 hitting the streets (and the Oscars), BMW is busy making the case for liquid hydrogen combustion engines. The European Union is listening.

Last week, the EU endorsed the hydrogen combustion engine as a technology of the future after the HyICE project was praised by EU Commissioner for Science and Research Janez Potočnik. HyICE is an initiative to optimize hydrogen ICEs, and is coordinated by BMW Group Research and Technology with business and university partners across Europe (and some help from the U.S. DOE). Ford is involved in the project as well.

Potočnik said that, "The HyICE project clearly demonstrates the key role of EU research in reducing dependency towards fossil fuels. ... The results achieved with a hydrogen combustion engine should encourage industry to develop this form of mobility further. This is a key contribution to preserve the environment and to keep Europe at the forefront of global competition"

The latest result of HyICE, started in 2003, is an engine with a distinct performance of 100 kW per liter cubic capacity (displacement). Researchers tried direct injection and external cold mixture hydrogen formations, both of which improved performance and reduced consumption. See more details in BMW's press release after the break.

[Source: BMW]

As promised earlier, here is the second of the super high performance cars that will be shown at the upcoming Auto Show in Geneva. As I said earlier, each of these vehicles was previewed on Autoblog yesterday, and you can find the link to their coverage here. So, without further ado, I present the Giugiaro Vadho concept. This machine does not run on ethanol, as does the Koenigsegg CCXR we showed you earlier; instead it relys on hydrogen. While ethanol's contribution to alternative fuels is debatable, it's power output is not, which is why there is increased interest in its use as a racing or high performance fuel. Hydrogen, on the other hand, has debatable merit on both counts. A hydrogen based engine makes much less power than it's gasoline-fueled sibling does. This fact is evident when you consider that this vehicle uses the same engine as the V12 BMW Hydrogen 7, which makes 260 HP as compared to the 438 HP it makes running on gasoline. The upside is that you can switch to gasoline at the flick of a switch in the Hydrogen 7. There was no mention made of whether this option is available on the Giugiaro Vadho. The downside is that you will be emitting much more harmful exhaust while running the engine on the higher power of gasoline. So, if you were able to buy the Vadho, which you currently cannot, and you lived near a hydrogen filling station like this one, then you can do your part to help the environment.

Other interesting features of the concept Vadho include the seating arrangement. The driver sits in front of the passenger as in a jet fighter. The engine sits to the right of the occupants. Watch for further coverage of this vehicle when our friends from Autoblog visit Geneva.

[Source: Autoblog]

With the only hydrogen-drive luxury performance automobile on the market (the Hydrogen 7, above, which is actually coming soon), it's no surprise that BMW is supportive of new hydrogen fueling stations. One such station opened at the University of California, Irvine, with BMW as a project collaborator. BMW's CleanEnergy strategy has as a core goal, "establishing a solid hydrogen infrastructure in the United States." But we all know this is something that is likely decades away. Still, BMW decided that liquid hydrogen is a viable choice for powering a car for sale in 2007.

The station, operated by Air Products, is the first in the United States that can dispense hydrogen at varied and advanced pressures, 700 and 350 bar (10,000/5,000 psi). Gaseous hydrogen is available now, and liquid hydrogen capability is coming in late 2007 The U.S. Department of Energy and California's South Coast Air Quality Management District, California Hydrogen Infrastructure Project (CHIP) are also partners in the station. Other carmakers involved are Toyota, Honda and Nissan.

Related:

• An Inconvenient Truth director takes hydrogen-powered BMW 7 to the Oscars

[Source: BMW, Air Products]

Reaction to the BMW Hydrogen 7 is divided into two camps: Those impressed with the innovative technology that allows a luxury car to run on either gasoline or liquiefied hydrogen, and those wondering if the anyone will ever be able to drive it. BMW unveiled the Hydrogen 7 to the public for the first time today at the Los Angeles Auto Show amid boasts of its green achievements. Tom Purves, head of the North American operations, called it a strategy of sustainability and pointed to a recent report from Environmental Defense that said BMW had the biggest reduction in fleet average CO2 emissions of all major automakers from 1990 to 2003. Purves said BMW reduced its output by 13 percent and the nearest competitor was only 3 percent. Also, BMW has led the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for two years and is the only automotive company to be on the index since it was created in 1999.

The Hydrogen 7 has the potential for zero emissions by burning hydrogen in its 6-liter 12-cylinder engine. Of course, skeptics say producing hydrogen creates CO2 or is very expensive. Bottom line: there are only a few facilities in the world that can refuel the Hydrogen 7's noticeable tank. Timm Kehler, BMW's vice president for marketing innovation projects, told AutoblogGren that the Hydrogen 7 was built for the future.

"This is a statement that we're doing to stimulate interest in hydrogen," said Kehler, saying he felt the initial reaction to the vehicle has been "spectacular."

Kehler said the vehicle is the result of nearly three decades of research as the company has always been the pursuit of sustainability, zero emissions and the independence of fossil fuel. "This is in order to safeguard our commercial future," he said.

There were two technology breakthroughs allowing BMW to build 100 Hydrogen 7 vehicles for testing. First is the super-insulated storage tank to hold the liquid hydrogen. "If you put a snowman in this tank it would live for 13 years," said Kehler, noting that BMW fulfilled all the security and safety requirements necessary for using deep-cooled, liquid hydrogen. Next was developing an engine-management system that equally matched the power curve of the engine on each of two fuels. The engine has two complete fuel systems, including fuel injectors, to support the fuel choice of the driver. "There are no compromises when driving this car," Kehler said.

See more photos of the BMW Hydrogen 7 after the break

The influential German magazine Spiegel isn't impressed with the energy balance presented by the luxurious BMW Hydrogen 7. Claiming the vehicle will "put more strain on the environment than a heavy diesel truck," the magazine pointed out the car requires 50 liters of hydrogen to drive the same distance as 13.9 liters, or 3.7 gallons, of gasoline. Then the magazine went into the energy and money required to produce the currently scarce supplies of hydrogen. BMW is one of the few companies experimenting with hydrogen in an internal combustion engine. Ford has a small program with a V10 engine in an airport transport bus, but BMW is tempting premium consumers with the technology. Early buyers are celebrities but BMW won't divulge any names.

[Source: Christian Wust/Spiegel]

The few lucky ones who will get to drive the new BMW Hydrogen 7 next year can mark today down on the calendar as the car's birthday. The limited edition clean car entered production today, with an initial set of 100 being made. We won't get to see the Hydrogen 7 until the end of the month (the 28th of November, if you've still got your calendar out) at the Los Angeles Motor Show. Touted as "the world's first hydrogen-powered, emission-free, luxury car," the Hydrogen 7 features an internal combustion engine that can burn either gasoline or liquid hydrogen up to an electronically limited 143 mph top speed. The choice of fuel is left to the driver, who switches between the two using a button in the steering wheel. The car performs the same no matter what fuel is being burned, BMW says. You can read BMW's press release announcing production today after the jump or see AutoblogGreen's previous coverage of the Hydrogen 7 at these links:

• Videos explain BMW 7 Series hydrogen car tech
• More photos of the BMW Hydrogen 7
• BMW officially announces the BMW Hydrogen 7

[Source: BMW]

A hydrogen storage tank was installed last week at what will become the first public hydrogen filling station in the Munich metropolitan area. The station is being opened by a partnership between BMW and Total that plans to open three hydrogen filling stations in Europe by the end of 2007. The storage tank will be Germany's first underground storage tank for liquid hydrogen and means the station will look just like a regular gasoline station. The Total station is being built near BMW Group's Research and Innovation Centre and will open later this year. When it does, it will also offer petrol and diesel. Given all this, once the 7 Series (with the hydrogen combustion engine) comes to market, German will have at least one place to fill up.

[Source: BMW]