Even with the extremely limited options to fill up a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, especially in Canada, BMW has revealed it is continuing to develop the technology and hopes to offer one within the next 5-10 years.
Hydrogen fuel cell technology has its advantages, like increased range and quicker refuelling times compared to battery electric vehicles (BEV), but it also has its drawbacks. As of last year, there were just two refuelling stations in all of Canada according to the Globe and Mail, one in BC and one in Quebec.
BMW is currently developing a second generation powertrain for their hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. The first pilot will begin in 2022 with the BMW i Hydrogen NEXT Concept vehicle.
Despite the commitment, a consumer version of a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle from BMW won’t happen until at least the second half of this decade. BMW points out this is mainly due to the lack of infrastructure to support the vehicles, and not because of the technology itself.
Until then, BMW has plans for up to 25 electric models within the next 3 years. But they have got off to a rocky start, cancelling the North American release of the long range iX3 EV.
