THE HYDROGEN-POWERED BMW X5 accelerates like an EV to blend with the traffic on the M3, as expected. There's no internal combustion engine under the bonnet, the space instead occupied by a fuel cell that is being fed hydrogen and air to generate electricity which is then delivered to the rear-mounted motor and, when required, to a small but powerful battery. In fact, the only slightly unusual aspect of the experience is the sound, which starts as a woozy, Tron-like drone, like it's running over a corrugated surface, but is escalating with ever-greater urgency. 'It was composed by Hans Zimmer, the Hollywood composer, says Dr Jürgen Guldner from the passenger seat. I'm tempted to keep my foot hard in simply to discover what it sounds like at maximum speed.
Guldner is responsible for hydrogen vehicle development at BMW and this car, the iX5 Hydrogen, has been four years in the making. Coincidentally, before taking up the hydrogen role, Guldner was in chassis R&D, overseeing developing the iX5's dynamics, so it really is his baby. The ride is supple, the handling usefully agile for a big SUV, and the performance is convincing and indistinguishable from that of a BEV (battery electric vehicle). Why bother with the complexity of a fuel cell, then? The key advantage, says Guldner, is that a hydrogen-powered FCEV (fuel cell electric vehicle) is 'an EV with fast fuelling'. Fully refilling the iX5 with 6kg of compressed hydrogen takes only five minutes, about the same as filling a petrol or diesel car, and gives a 311-mile (500km) range, as measured by the WLTP standard.
Denne historien er fra September 2023-utgaven av Evo UK.
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Denne historien er fra September 2023-utgaven av Evo UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Cupra Formentor Abt
It's farewell to the original Cupra Formentor with an Abt-tuned run-out package. It's a quietly excellent car; just a shame about the price...
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This misguided departure from the French brand's hot hatch heritage saw the Clio fall from grace
REBIRTH OF AN ICON
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HY AND DRY
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SEXY BEAST
The Vanquish name is back for Aston Martin's latest seriesproduction flagship, with a stunning new look and simply brutal performance from an 824bhp twin-turbo V12
THE JOY OF DRIVING
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TINY DANCER
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LAMBORGHINI GALLARDO
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