BMW says goodbye to electric cars. It begins a new era with hydrogen engines

BMW says goodbye to electric cars. It begins a new era with hydrogen engines

generally combined with other elements. As a consequence, creating pure hydrogen for vehicles requires a great deal of energy process to break the compound, which is derived from fossil fuels like natural gas.

HFCVs are similar to EVs but with specific differences that make hydrogen vehicles a unique green offer. Hydrogen engines can be refueled just as fast as their counterparts, and they don’t lose driving range with temperature variations. 

BMW iX5 Hydrogen

The BMW iX5 Hydrogen is one of three hydrogen-backed vehicles coming to BMW dealerships in 2024. The sustainable SUV concept aims to usher in a new era of electric mobility and do so with overachieving performance in mind. For companies, cities, and countries to meet their net-zero carbon emission timelines over the next few decades, a range of renewable energy sources is needed to fulfill the high demand for electrification. Hydrogen plays a key role in that future.

Some of the BMW iX4 hydrogen strengths are:

400+ Horses ready to run on the road. Besides its tiny refueling count, the BMW iX5 will combine fifth-generation fuel cell technology with an electric motor, or BMW’s eDrive. 

The newest eco-innovation from BMW with great performance. Its top speed is 115 miles per hour, and it can sprint from 0 to 60 mph in just six seconds. The 400-volt battery situated directly above hydrogen engines increases the iX5’s power. 

A range of 313 miles similar to current EVs. With a range of about 313 miles, the hydrogen vehicle is comparable to some of the best EVs on the market, such as the Tesla Model Y with 330 miles. 

Despite the number of electric cars on the road has been increasing dramatically over the last three years. The International Energy Agency estimates that by 2022, only 14% of cars will be electric, and by the end of 2023 is expected to rise another 4%. 

This is a great opportunity for hydrogen cars to get a portion of the automobile market, which is still dominated by high-emissions vehicles. Hydrogen engine manufacturers should keep in mind that no single solution will meet every customer’s mobility need globally, therefore several alternative driving systems could coexist in the future.

BMW (Full meaning)

 The acronym BMW stands for Bayerische Motoren Werke GmbH, which roughly translates to the Bavarian Engine Works Company. The name harks back to the company’s origin in the German state of Bavaria. It also indicates BMW’s original product range: engines for various applications.

Today’s BMW AG has its origin in Rapp-Motorenwerke GmbH, which began producing aircraft engines in 1913. During the First World War, Rapp supplied the air force of the German Empire. At that time, automobiles had not yet broken through into the mainstream. If you wanted to travel long distances on land, you went by train.

Rapp Motorenwerke becomes BMW

Rapp Motorenwerke had its headquarters in the Bavarian capital, Munich – as did the factory where the engines were fitted into the aircraft, Gustav Otto Flugmaschinenfabrik. When the Otto company went bankrupt in 1916, it became Bayerische Flugzeugwerke AG (BFW). Shortly afterward, Rapp also changed its company name: In 1917, the company became known as Bayerische Motoren Werke GmbH. BMW’s origin in the Rapp company can also be seen on the logo.

In 1918, the factory premises of the Bayerische Motoren Werke GmbH were still a greenfield site. Today, BMW Group Classic occupies these prestigious buildings in the Moosacher Straße, Munich.

The BMW name vanishes – for a time

In August 1918, Bayerische Motoren Werke GmbH became a stock corporation. But the end of the First World War brought a halt to the construction of aircraft engines, as the Treaty of Versailles forbade Germany from building them. So BMW shifted its focus to railway brakes and built-in motors. This was so successful that the Berlin-based brakes company Knorr-Bremse AG took majority ownership of BMW in 1920, integrated the company and relocated to Munich. Bayerische Motoren Werke GmbH as an independent company disappeared temporarily from the scene – albeit not for long.

BMW founding, take two!

In 1922, the major investor and aircraft construction pioneer Camillo Castiglioni was the main shareholder of Knorr-Bremse AG. He bought the BMW company name and took over engine construction operations, along with the employees, production facilities and company logo, and transferred everything to BFW, Bayerische Flugzeugwerke AG.

In the same year, the company moved into BFW’s factory buildings in Lerchenauer Strasse and changed its name to Bayerische Motoren Werke AG. And that’s how the BMW name found its way into the commercial register for a second time.