Bmw cutting back on its hydrogen car development
By Andrew C., 26 Aug, 2010. 0 Comments
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It was reported that BMW took the opportunity to rethink how its resources should be distributed. The carmaker supposedly then decided to reduce its hydrogen car development and to put its resources into hybrid and battery technology instead. However, a BMW spokesman denied that the company was stopping development on hydrogen power altogether, saying that with a set number of engineers, it's "natural to transfer resources to the areas that are of most immediate concern." He said that in the meantime, BMW will be looking to hybrid and battery technology, but in the longer-term, the carmaker will remain involved in developing hydrogen as a source of power.
The spokesman cited that BMW's hydrogen development is best known for creating the Hydrogen 7 car, which is based on the 760Li, and used the same six-liter V12 engine, modified to combust hydrogen as well as hydrogen. This project is a standout due to the company's decision to directly ignite the hydrogen in an internal combustion engine, rather than using fuel cell technology.
Another feature is that at the touch of a button, drivers could switch between the two fuels. The cars, which had a limited run, are currently being leased out to high-profile figures. Everyone at BMW is working in the hope that it would influence the development of hydrogen technology. The BMW Hydrogen 7 was criticized for managing only 20.3mpg in petrol mode and 5.6mpg in hydrogen mode. Other complaints include the storage of hydrogen, which is a problem as the car cannot be exposed to extreme temperatures, and hydrogen vaporizes over time.
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