The BMW iX5 Hydrogen is currently undergoing a demanding programme of testing in extremely challenging weather conditions. It is all part of final winter testing for the car on public roads and at the BMW Group’s testing centre in Arjeplog, northern Sweden.
The integrated functional testing and validation of the fuel cell system, hydrogen tanks, peak power battery and central vehicle control unit have confirmed that this additional CO2-free mobility option can also be relied on to provide sustainable driving pleasure with high levels of comfort and unrestricted performance in extreme sub-zero temperatures.
The tests close to the Arctic Circle see the BMW Group pressing ahead with its development process for the BMW iX5 Hydrogen. The company will produce a small series of the model later in the year and is also committed to helping expand the network of hydrogen fuelling stations.
In these test runs on the ice and snow around Arjeplog, the BMW iX5 Hydrogen is busy demonstrating how reliably, comfortably and powerfully its hydrogen fuel cell drive system can already meet the mobility requirements of everyday life. After racking up hundreds of sessions on test rigs and in-depth field testing on the road, this adds another chapter to its development story.
The drive, energy storage and control systems all pass the ultimate test of endurance in the wintery surrounds of Lapland. Added to which, specially prepared ice surfaces and snow-covered roads offer the perfect conditions to test the integrated application of all the drive and chassis systems. This also encompasses the steering, springs and dampers, as well as the chassis control systems and the interplay of the friction brakes and deceleration by energy recuperation. Here again, the BMW iX5 Hydrogen is able to make its strengths count, as it also weighs less than a comparable battery-electric model.
