Friday 15th September 2006

BMW shows off hydrogen car

Liquid H2 car shows proof of concept

---

Hydrogen-powered BMW 7-Series

BMW reckons its the world's first car maker to present a proof-of-concept hydrogen-drive car that has successfully completed the process of series development.

The BMW 7 Series Hydrogen 7 Saloon is powered by a 260 hp twelve-cylinder and accelerates from 0-100 km/h in a pretty sluggish 9.5 seconds. Top speed is limited electronically to 143 mph. And as long as full supply of hydrogen is not guaranteed, the dual-mode power unit featured in BMW Hydrogen 7 switches over quickly and conveniently to conventional premium petrol.

Offering the world this highly practical solution, BMW is not only demonstrating its leadership in technology in the area of future-oriented drive systems. Rather, the integration of hydrogen drive in an existing vehicle concept which has already proven its merits in the market paves the way for an alternative to conventional drive concepts fully accepted in the market and with all the assets the customer is looking for in practice.

Munich sees the Hydrogen 7 as "a milestone en route to an era of mobility independent of fossil fuels", and reckons that it proves that liquid hydrogen can be used as a source of energy for the production car.

BMW hopes that the car will add momentum for the development of a supply infrastructure with hydrogen filling stations.

[E38]

They allready did this with the last generation 7

I like the integration into an existing working vehicle.

It must be heavy if 260hp takes it to sixty in that time, but the top speed is quite high....

[Rob_the_Sparky]

So generating liquid hydrogen doesn't take a shed load of carbon emissions now?

[vpinto]

Not really if one uses nuclear power...

[r998]

It's a V12 7 series, of course it's heavy. It's not that powerful because hydrogen is very volatile and prone to preignition so they have to use fairly conservative engine settings so it won't make as much power as petrol only.

However rotary engines can take hydrogen without really losing any power and no major modifications. Mazda have the RX8 petrol/hydrogen car out now as well and it suffers pretty much no power loss on hydrogen compared to the petrol only version.

[elwe]

Hydrogen is nice to use in the city but surely bioethanol/biodiesel are the best fuels to be moving toward? Unless someone can get electric cars with fuel cells working at a resonable cost.

If Bioethanol becomes widely available I will convert my 7 to use it.

[john_r]

elwe said:

...Unless someone can get electric cars with fuel cells working at a resonable cost.

Toyota Prius?
Lexus RX400H?
Lexus GS450H?
Honday Insight?

That's because the Japs are giving tax breaks on car design and engine development that incorporates 'green' stuff.

Gordon and Tony don't want to do something like that... imagine how many country houses, inefficient V12 jags, civil servants and prostitutes the ministers would have to give up if they didn't get as much income from fuel tax!

[GTRene]

if they take away all the drugsfields in Afghanistan and turn them all over in those flowerfields that can be used for petrol the world would and could be a better place and we still have petrol and the farmers there don't have to be afraid anymore and get their money that way
GTRene

[kimz]

...only wonder how the hydrogen is being used... not good efficiency if 12 cyls = 260 hp and at what capacity? Bet it burns pretty hot, but the combustion products should be pretty acceptable to the carers/huggers.

Hmm... we could have piddly petrol engine running a chunky generator w/rectified output that electrolises water (that the vehicle carries in abundance over petrol) obviously generating hydrogen and oxygen, which in turn gets compressed into cylinders in the boot which in turn is used by a conventional sodding great V12 in suitable quantities (easy on the O2 now...) and hoping all the time you dont get stuffed up the *rse end thus rupturing said tanks... I'd thought that the zeppelins had done for hydrogen as a suitable fuel for transport?!

gtrene has the right idea - convert domestic/industrial/agricultural products and wastes into non-opec dependant fuel sources/resources might be a way forward. Lets (please) keep the IC engine and rotary would be best, but new tip seals every fuel stop or two? Work in prgress, I think. Hope I never see the day where we all have to trundle about in Prius (etc) clones...

Blimey ~ Max Max future or what?

[FestivAli]

GTRene said:

if they take away all the drugsfields in Afghanistan and turn them all over in those flowerfields that can be used for petrol the world would and could be a better place and we still have petrol and the farmers there don't have to be afraid anymore and get their money that way
GTRene

Yeah but the prices we'd pay for hydrogen per litre to make it an acceptable alternative to heroin production would probably mean that hydrogen would cost rather a bit.

Ali.

[ThatPhilBrettGuy]

john_r said:

elwe said:

...Unless someone can get electric cars with fuel cells working at a resonable cost.

Toyota Prius?
Lexus RX400H?
Lexus GS450H?
Honday Insight?

None of those have fuel cells though.

[dani959]

john_r said:

Toyota Prius?
Lexus RX400H?
Lexus GS450H?
Honday Insight?

That's because the Japs are giving tax breaks on car design and engine development that incorporates 'green' stuff.

"Green" stuff??? I wonder how much of "green" stuff goes into the manufacture of batteries...

[Joe T]

I have even heard that Bio Diesel costs are hidden, because extra Nitrogen is needed to enrich the soil the Crops are grown in!!! if you add this to the overall cost its not so green anymore.

We need to hijack a passing Planet or Asteroid, suck it dry. Are we still green if we only kill other planets?