BMW is preparing to launch a new generation of the X5 that will, for the first time, give customers a choice of five drivetrain technologies: battery electric, plug-in hybrid, petrol, diesel, and hydrogen fuel cell. The company says the move underlines its “technology-open” approach to mobility, aimed at meeting diverse customer needs worldwide.
“By launching the new BMW X5 with a choice of five drive system variants, we are once again demonstrating our leading position as a technology pioneer,” said Joachim Post, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Development, at an event in New York. The iX5 Hydrogen, based on BMW’s third-generation fuel cell system developed with Toyota, will join the lineup in 2028 as the brand’s first series-produced hydrogen-powered model.
BMW highlights hydrogen as a complement to battery electric mobility, offering an alternative where batteries are not optimal. The iX5 Hydrogen promises compact design, greater efficiency, and improved range. Prototypes are already being built at BMW facilities in Munich, Steyr, and Landshut.
Alongside product development, BMW is pushing to expand hydrogen refueling through the HyMoS (Hydrogen Mobility at Scale) initiative, created with industry and institutional partners. The program seeks to support metropolitan hydrogen ecosystems by pooling demand from cars, trucks, and buses, and is piloting projects in Germany and France ahead of wider rollout.
BMW says flexible manufacturing structures and integration expertise make the multiple drivetrain variants feasible, reinforcing its strategy to combine tradition and innovation in global markets.
