Description Of The Car

2007 BMW Hydrogen 7 Preview

BMW has announced it will begin trials of a new 6.0-liter V12 gasoline-hydrogen-powered version of the 7 Series next year. This is a continuation of the automakers CleanEnergy program that aims at widespread sales of hydrogen-powered BMW models by the start of the next decade.







The new car, dubbed "Hydrogen 7" and set for public debut at the Los Angeles auto show in late November, will be available to selected customers in North America, Europe and Japan on a rental basis. The Hydrogen 7 will get a price comparable to that of todays 760iL, on which is it based, according to officials from the German carmaker. Initial volumes will be limited to about 100 cars, although BMW executives are not counting out the possibility of more if demand should outstrip supply.

Previous trials of hydrogen-powered BMW models have all been carried out in-house. The Hydrogen 7 is powered by a reworked version of BMWs 6.0-liter V12 engine producing 260 hp and 288 pound-feet of torque. Thats enough to provide 0-to-62-mph acceleration in 9.5 seconds and a 143-mph top speed on both hydrogen and gasoline.

The cruising range is put at 125 miles in hydrogen mode, with a further 300 miles in gasoline guise. In hydrogen mode, the reworked 7 Series is emissions-free, producing nothing more than water vapor from its tailpipe. The hydrogen is stored in a 2.1-gallon tank with a double-wall structure consisting of stainless-steel plates and a vacuum layer to address safety fears.

The Hydrogen 7 will be produced alongside other BMW 5, 6 and 7 Series models at the companys Dingolfing plant in Munich.

Progress without compromises

BMW Hydrogen 7 emphatically proves that changing over to an alternative form of energy doesnt mean missing out on superior driving dynamics and comfort. The departure from fossil fuel does not in any way mean giving up the dynamics and performance typical of a BMW. Mobility of tomorrow and driving pleasure of today are compatible, with the drive concept of BMW Hydrogen 7 being directly transferable to future models. Driving a car of this caliber will be just as thrilling in the future as it is today, but at the same time cleaner than ever before.

Luxury class comfort for four

The BMW Hydrogen 7 is a four-seater with the two passengers at the rear enjoying the same high standard of comfort as in one of BMW`s regular luxury performance vehicles.
The BMW Hydrogen 7 comes with an unusually wide range of standard features. In addition to the high level of equipment featured from the start in the BMW 760i, the BMW Hydrogen 7 comes inter alia with climate comfort composite glazing, BMW`s high-end automatic air conditioning, auxiliary heating, electric seat heating for the driver, front passenger and rear seats, lumbar supports, electric seat adjustment with memory function on the front seats, ISOFIX child seat fastenings, Park Distance Control, a rain sensor, exterior and interior mirrors with automatic anti-dazzle, Soft Close Automatic for the doors and a headlight assistant. A complete entertainment and communication package adds to the comfort a BMW 7 Series can provide.

Two tanks: Smooth transitions and maximum cruise range

To offer the longest conceivable cruising range, the BMW Hydrogen 7 comes with both a conventional 74-litre (16.3 Imp gal) gasoline tank and an additional fuel tank taking up approximately 8 kilos or 17.6 lb of liquid hydrogen.

Stored in a high tech tank, liquid hydrogen offers significant advantages in energy density enhancing the cruising range of the hydrogen car.

The driver is able to switch from hydrogen to gasoline mode manually by pressing a button on the multifunction steering wheel. Because engine power and torque remain exactly the same regardless of the mode of operation, switching from one mode to another has no effect on the driving behavior and performance of the BMW Hydrogen 7.

The control system in BMW Hydrogen 7 gives priority to the use of hydrogen. And, should one of the two types of fuel be fully consumed, the system will automatically switch over to the other type of fuel in the interest of secure, ongoing supply.

Why hydrogen?

The BMW Group has been committed to hydrogen technology as a means of reducing car emissions, in particular CO2 emissions, since BMW’s first hydrogen-powered car, a 5 Series was unveiled in 1979. When running in the hydrogen mode, the BMW Hydrogen 7 essentially emits nothing but water vapour. And, unlike fossil fuels and traditional petrol, hydrogen is available in virtually infinite supply when renewable energies such as solar, wind and wave power are used to produce the liquid hydrogen. Stored in a hi-tech tank which keeps the fuel at a pressure of 3-5 bar and a consistent temperature of –250°C, liquid hydrogen offers significant advantages in energy density compared to other possible alternative fuel sources to enhance the cruising range of the car.

BMW continues to develop ultra efficient, yet very dynamic petrol engines that significantly reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Together with clean performance diesel cars and the technologically advanced hybrid systems currently under development, the BMW Group has a clear strategy for sustainable mobility with hydrogen as the ultimate goal.

BMW tees off with the 2006 Ryder CupBMW is set to play a starring role in the 2006 Ryder Cup, golf’s most prestigious tournament, when a fleet of 70 BMWs are put through a punishing programme to ensure the event runs smoothly.

As the Official Car of The 2006 Ryder Cup, 70 BMW 5 Series Tourings, X5s and 7 Series will be used during the week of the tournament by the stars of the game, other VIPs and the event organisers. The punishing schedule of the world’s foremost golf challenge will see the BMWs cover in excess of 2,000 VIP transfers and 15,000 miles - equivalent to more than a year’s ownership by the usual caring BMW owner.

Starting Friday 22 September at the K Club, Straffan, County Kildare, Ireland, the 2006 Ryder Cup will be contested by the world’s best golfers, many of whom are BMW owners. Team Europe captain and BMW driver Ian Woosnam will field a team including David Howell, winner of the 2006 BMW Championship at Wentworth, and Henrik Stenson, winner of the BMW International Open 2006.

Note: BMW is also the Official Car of The European Tour and is strongly committed to grass roots golf through its development of the prestigious BMW Golf Cup International – the largest and most successful amateur event in the world. Last year more than 100,000 golfers from 51 different countries applied to enter.

Full Apple iPod compatibility comes to BMWThanks to the launch of a new adaptor all of the best-selling BMWs are now fully compatible with Apple iPod MP3 players. Owners of BMW 1, 3, 5, 6 and 7 Series cars are now able to access the full range of menu options displayed by Apple iPod, iPod nano, iPod mini and iPod photo devices. Previous adapter packages only allowed partial connectivity.

BMW CleanEnergy: paving the way into the future.

The BMW Hydrogen 7 perfectly captures the essence of the BMW CleanEnergy strategy. By using hydrogen produced from water and renewable energy, such as wind, sun or hydropower, in an internal combustion engine, the car`s emissions in hydrogen mode are essentially nothing but vapor. And, with this emitted water vapor, the cycle can start again and the dream of sustainable mobility without using fossil fuel resources and without impacting the earth`s climate can become a reality. The complete change from a fossil fuel infrastructure to a hydrogen economy will require decades, but with the Hydrogen 7, BMW shows that bringing hydrogen technology to the road is indeed feasible.