You’ve likely seen your fair share of acceleration tests done with cars that had combustion engines and/or large batteries. Well, this 0 to 124 mph (200 km/h) is different because the BMW iX5 has neither a gasoline/diesel engine nor a huge and heavy battery pack. The hydrogen SUV does come with a tiny 2-kWh battery but only to grab the juice from the regenerative braking system. This diminutive 400-volt lithium-ion battery also acts as a power buffer and helps during acceleration.
Our German colleagues at Bimmer Today had the opportunity to see how much performance you’re getting from a hydrogen SUV. The BMW iX5 is definitely not slow for such a large and heavy vehicle. It hit 62 mph (100 km/h) in less than six seconds and had no issues going over 124 mph (200 km/h). Sure, it’s no X5 M60, let alone an X5 M, but it can probably keep up with the X5 xDrive50e plug-in hybrid and its inline-six engine.
Based on the pre-LCI X5, the fuel cell iX5 has about 401 horsepower (295 kilowatts) and even a dedicated Sport mode. It unlocks the full power and stiffens up the suspension to enable a more engaging drive. Speaking of having fun, the SUV has a rear-wheel-drive layout, which only the entry-level X5 sDrive40 still offers in the United States.
As with all hydrogen BMWs before it, you can’t actually buy the iX5. The fuel cell SUV is part of a trial fleet of fewer than 100 units undergoing testing all over the world. However, there might come a time when people will be able to purchase a hydrogen BMW. We’re hearing the next-generation X5 (“G65”) will get a fuel cell derivative on the same CLAR platform. It could happen as early as 2027.
Little else is known about the new X5, but it’s reportedly getting X-shaped headlights and a battery-powered electric derivative. The latter will also be underpinned by the CLAR architecture instead of getting the Neue Klasse hardware of the smaller iX3 due in 2025.
Source: Bimmer Today / YouTube
