For years BMW has been researching and developing hydrogen fuel-cell powertrains, but finally the automaker has set a date for when we can all expect to see such a vehicle on the road.
Slated for 2014, this new vehicle will likely be used on the next-generation front-wheel drive Mini. This vehicle will also be a hybrid, combining a hydrogen fuel-cell powertrain with an electric motor and a gasoline combustion engine.
BMW already has a working prototype of this hybrid fuel-cell vehicle based on 1 Series. This vehicle produces 7 horsepower from the hydrogen fuel-cell powertrain and 110 horsepower from the electric motor.
BMW isn’t the only one experimenting with hydrogen fuel cell vehicles as Honda has been testing the FCX Clarity in the U.S. and Japan since 2008. As these automakers refine their technology, the only challenge still standing in their way is the lack of hydrogen fuel-pumps available.
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