BMW wheels out production ready Hydrogen 7 (UPDATED)
Newswheel staff :: 12 September 2006 :: Filed under Hydrogen, Saloon, BMW, BMW 7 Series, Europe & UK, US
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Water sports saloon?
Momentous news, folks. The Hydrogen 7 has passed both BMW’s obligatory Product Development Process and homologation under the usual rules and standards in both Germany and the ECE. In short, BMW’s first hydrogen-powered production car is ready for the road. But it’s not clear if it’s actually for sale (see update below)…
Klaus loved the smell of hydrogen in the morning. He also appreciated the fact that his 12-pot uber-saloon poured forth nothing but pure, sweet H20 from its tail pipes
Of course, hydrogen supply at conventional filling stations is currently slim to none, so it’s no surprise that the Hydrogen 7’s 6.0-litre V12 combustion powerplant is capable of supping on both conventional premium petrol and pure, unadulterated hydrogen. Rated at 260bhp and 288lb/ft when running on hydrogen (that’s significantly less than the 445bhp and 443lb/ft outputs of the plain-petrol-powered 760i with which it shares its basic engine configuration), BMW reckons the car is capable of hitting 62mph in 9.5 seconds. Vmax is an electronically limited 144mph (230kph). Combined range for the Hydrogen 7 using both fuels is in excess of 430 miles.
BMW claims hydrogen supply at conventional filling stations is gaining in significance, though it only points to two stations in Berlin and a few more due to be opened in other Euro cities later this year as evidence
Compromised performance aside, the Hydrogen 7’s other conspicuous deviation from a boggo 7 Series is the placement of the hydrogen tank beneath the rear parcel shelf and behind the rear seats. Consequently, the capacity of the rear luggage compartment is trimmed to just 225 litres. The car’s rear bench seat is also pushed forward by 115mm, but because the Hydrogen 7 is based on the long wheelbase 7 Series, it still boasts approximately 25mm more rear leg room than a standard 7.
The car will also come as standard packed to the gunwales with premium kit. To the 760i’s already decadent standard spec list the Hydrogen 7 adds 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…pause for breath…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.
BMW says it will be keeping in close touch with Hydrogen 7 owners, both to glean fulsome feedback and also to allow “direct answers to all questions possibly arising in the everyday use of such a brand-new technology.”
No word as yet regarding UK pricing and availability (nor for the rest of humanity, for that matter). However, we’ve put the feelers out to the BMW mothership, so watch this space.
UPDATE:
The official skinny from BMW UK is that 75 Hydrogen 7s will be “placed” with customers around the world. It’s unlikely that official pricing will be released. So, there you have it. More than just a concept car, but not exactly the full series-production Monty.
Posted 17 January 2007, by villy.jones
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