Munich/Los Angeles, CA -- BMW today announced the
introduction of the new BMW Hydrogen 7, the world's first
hydrogen-drive luxury performance automobile. The car – a vehicle that
has undergone the regular Product Development Process – will be built
in a limited series in Europe and driven in the US and other countries
by selected users 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 Hydrogen7 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 goal.
With all the comforts and amenities of a non-hydrogen BMW 7 Series,
the BMW Hydrogen 7 is powered by a 260hp 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 in hydrogen mode 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 vehicles. 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 Hydrogen7,
but it will also significantly impact the development and production
of future hydrogen vehicle 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 Hydrogen7 is able to use the vehicle without problem
even when the nearest hydrogen filling station is far away.
The BMW Hydrogen7 clearly proves that liquid hydrogen may by all
means be used as a source of energy for the production car. By
introducing the BMW Hydrogen7, 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 Hydrogen7
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 Hydrogen7.
The control system in BMW Hydrogen7 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 Hydrogen7 is a four-seater with the two passengers at the
rear enjoying the same high standard of comfort 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 Hydrogen7 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 Hydrogen7 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 Hydrogen7 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
is helping to reduce 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.
