BMW to roll out hydrogen-powered 7 Series

[Hawkeye]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060912/..._hydrogen_dc_1

Tue Sep 12, 6:33 AM ET



BMW will roll out the world's first hydrogen-burning car in serial production early next year, the German premium automaker said on Tuesday, eager to put its stamp on cars with green credentials.

The specially equipped 7-Series executive cars emit only water vapor when running on hydrogen.

The car hits the market next April and will be shown at the Los Angeles car show in November, the company said. It had said in March the hydrogen cars would arrive within two years.

A spokesman said the car would be leased to selected customers rather than sold because of its high price. Leasing rates would be similar to those for a top-end BMW 760LI with a full-service package.

The BMW 7 Series Hydrogen 7 Saloon is powered by a 260 hp twelve-cylinder engine and accelerates from 0-100 km/h (62 mph) in 9.5 seconds. Top speed is limited electronically to 230 km/h.

BMW has said it intends to build a few hundred such cars at first. They will be able to switch between burning standard petrol and hydrogen so that drivers will not be left stranded while the infrastructure to deliver hydrogen is built up.

"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," BMW said.

The space that two fuel tanks take up means only the 7-Series will offer the hydrogen package at first. BMW's long-term goal is to offer hydrogen motors in all its cars.

BMW unveiled the world's fastest hydrogen-powered car at the 2004 Paris auto show. Dubbed the H2R, it can exceed 300 kilometers (185 miles) per hour and reaches 100 km per hour from a standing start in around six seconds.

While BMW is developing fuel-cell driven cars as well, it says it is concentrating on the combustion engine because the sum total of its features and characteristics offers the largest number of advantages and benefits all in one.

[Zell's Fists of Fury]

They'll be phased out, like the electric cars of yore.

[bipper]

Wator vapor will now be pollution, as we mis-balance the vapor i the air. There will be 300 more taxes and fees for water expersion. Peoples lungs wll fillwith water vapor and we will all die. This is the Germans deadliest weapon to date.

Bipper

[Zell's Fists of Fury]

Sneaky bastards!

[Shlup]

I totally want one.

[Jowy]

Forget that stupid conservationist crap and just make a damn hovercar.

I'll never be able to afford one, so I'll stick to the gas guzzler.

[My_car_is_faster_than_you]

Yeah. My good ole car (the one in the signature) gets a whooping 16 mpg city and 20 highway. But it's a hell of a lot cheaper ($3800) than getting a stupid 55 mpg hybrid, and even more cheap than getting a freaking BMW 7 series. The government is intentionally releasing the 7 series as the hydrogen car, rather than the 3 series. No one will be able to afford it. At least, none of us (poor people, not FF fans).

[Yamaneko]

It's not a car unless you're destroying the ecosystem.

[bipper]

It's not a car unless you're destroying the ecosystem.

<3 I am reminded of the great satire of the racs.

[boris no no]

Wator vapor will now be pollution, as we mis-balance the vapor i the air. There will be 300 more taxes and fees for water expersion. Peoples lungs wll fillwith water vapor and we will all die. This is the Germans deadliest weapon to date.

Bipper

Water vapour is already pollution, its actually a hell of a lot worse then CO2 once its built up.
I'm all up for Hydrogen based vehicles... but only because of the immidiate problems faced with hydrocarbon fuels ones.

[Melkor_]

The car must have something to burn lads

[NorthernChaosGod]

It's not a car unless you're destroying the ecosystem.

Which is why everyone should drive cars from the 60's and 70's.