- BMW targets roughly five seconds from 0 to 62 mph for the iX5 Hydrogen.
- A WLTP range up to 466 miles comes from a new underfloor tank system.
- BMW plans a 2028 launch as its first series-production hydrogen model.
BMW has put the iX5 Hydrogen back on the road, and this time the prototypes are chasing production-spec numbers. Current test mules are running a comprehensive real-world validation program, and BMW says the fuel cell SUV is targeting 0 to 62 mph in about 5 seconds.
That target puts BMW's hydrogen SUV in the same performance bracket as the upcoming fully electric iX5 on the new G65-generation X5 platform, which enters production in late 2026. BMW now says the iX5 Hydrogen will launch in 2028 as its first series-production hydrogen model.
BMW iX5 Hydrogen Targets Five Seconds
BMW's roughly five-second goal for 0 to 62 mph rides on a third-generation fuel cell system co-developed with Toyota, a partnership that dates back more than a decade. The new unit is 25 percent smaller than the fuel cell it replaces, which frees up packaging room without cutting output.
Gallery: BMW iX5 Hydrogen (2026)
Hydrogen storage comes from a new flat underfloor high-pressure tank system holding up to 7 kilograms (15.4 pounds) of fuel, and BMW is quoting a WLTP range of up to 750 kilometers (466 miles) on a full fill. Refueling is expected to take under 5 minutes, close to a gasoline stop and a fraction of a typical EV fast-charge session.
The production iX5 Hydrogen will come standard with xDrive all-wheel drive and the M Sport Package, a combination BMW has not offered on every version of the electric iX5. It signals the automaker wants the hydrogen SUV to read as a performance variant.
BMW is betting that customers will want a zero-tailpipe-emission vehicle that combines long range with gasoline-like refueling times. The gamble depends as much on infrastructure as on the hardware BMW has already locked in.
Closer To Production On G65 X5
The iX5 Hydrogen under test is based on the upcoming G65-generation X5, which will support gasoline, plug-in hybrid, fully electric iX5 and later this hydrogen variant. BMW plans to start building the new X5 family, including the battery-electric iX5, at Plant Spartanburg in December 2026.
BMW's hydrogen prototypes are currently completing trials at the Aschheim test facility near Munich and at the Miramas proving ground in southern France. The teams are covering everything from extreme temperatures to high-altitude driving. The goal is confirming the fuel cell powertrain holds up under conditions a customer might actually encounter.
Factory tooling is moving in parallel with testing rather than waiting for it to conclude. BMW's Hydrogen Competence Centre in Munich has started a new assembly phase for the third-generation fuel cell system. Pre-series production of the Energy Master power electronics unit is already underway at BMW Group Plant Landshut.
BMW Group Plant Steyr in Austria has installed initial test benches and production equipment. The automaker says employee training for future series output has already begun. That is a level of industrial commitment well beyond a design study, with the car still two years from its planned 2028 debut.
The biggest variable left is not the vehicle. It is the hydrogen refueling network in the US and Europe, which remains thin besides a handful of regional clusters. BMW has acknowledged that the iX5 Hydrogen's real-world usefulness depends on how much that infrastructure grows before 2028.
Motor1's Take: Factory prep and pre-series assembly show BMW is moving toward production. That matters to buyers and fleets who value rapid refueling and long-range use. Success depends on how fast stations appear. If networks grow, other makers will follow.
