BMW is putting its real world road testing of its famous Hydrogen 7-Series on hold, due to a ‘lack of infrastructure and high conversion costs,’ AllCarsElectric.com reports.
However the carmaker is not abandoning the technology and is to continue its development of hydrogen engines and liquid hydrogen fuel systems will continue, a company spokesperson told the web publication.
After more than 2 million miles of testing, BMW is to end trials of the Hydrogen 7 Series after a two-year global test of 100 examples of the sedan by early next year.
BMW focused its hydrogen research around developing an internal combustion system using liquid hydrogen, while others like Honda and its FCX Clarity use a compressed hydrogen fuel tank which feeds a fuel cell to produce electricity.
Although BMW’s method had its merits, for one, it would allow the continuation of the combustion engine while facilitating the need for cleaner running. However costs and of this method proved high while fuel efficiency was disappointing. The tank in the Hydrogen 7 chilled the gas to a liquid at -253 degrees (rather than compressing it to around 800 bar as others have done), a process that takes around a third of the energy in the tank to achieve. The Hydrogen 7-Series needed 29.4 litres to run 100km while its range stood at no more than 200km.
BMW is to focus its resources on hybrid and battery technologies instead.
