The Hydrogen-powered BMW X5 Could Revolutionize The Electric Vehicle Market

• 17.09.2026, 14:46

The main advantage should be the power reserve.

BMW is developing a production version of the hydrogen-powered X5, which could solve two problems facing electric vehicles at once—short range and long charging times. The company is already testing the iX5 Hydrogen prototype in real-world conditions ahead of the model’s launch, according to Autoblog.

BMW expects the hydrogen crossover to accelerate to 100 km/h in less than five seconds. By comparison, the electric iX5 completes this sprint in 4.6 seconds.

“BMW wants its first production hydrogen car to be truly fast,” writes Autoblog.

The iX5 Hydrogen is powered by a third-generation hydrogen fuel cell powertrain developed by BMW in collaboration with Toyota. It is more powerful and efficient than the previous system, and its size has been reduced by 25%.

The main advantage of the hydrogen-powered X5 is expected to be its range. According to the WLTP cycle, the car will be able to travel up to 466 miles, or about 750 km, without refueling.

Refueling will take less than five minutes. BMW has installed seven carbon-fiber-reinforced tanks under the floor, capable of holding up to 15.4 pounds of hydrogen, or about 7 kg.

“Refueling with hydrogen takes less than five minutes,” the publication notes.

Production of the fuel cells is planned to begin at the BMW plant in Steyr. The first versions of the new-generation X5 will be released as early as October; the electric iX5 will debut in early 2027; and the production iX5 Hydrogen is expected in 2028.

BMW expects the hydrogen version to serve as an alternative to electric vehicles for those who prioritize long range and the ability to quickly refuel.