Exclusive interview: BMW’s hydrogen car boss “We believe the timing is right”

BMW’s Dr Jürgen Guldner, General Programme Manager for Hydrogen Technology, sat down exclusively with Driving Hydrogen’s Matt Lister to share insights on BMW’s forthcoming 2028 hydrogen fuel cell car – and why hydrogen’s moment has finally arrived.

BMW has teased hydrogen-powered cars for decades, dabbling with combustion concepts like the iconic Hydrogen 7 and, more recently, fuel-cell prototypes like the iX5 Hydrogen, a limited pilot fleet launched in 2023.

But come 2028, the Munich brand is stepping decisively from experimentation into full production.

Speaking with Driving Hydrogen, BMW’s hydrogen lead, Dr Jürgen Guldner, confirmed that BMW’s next hydrogen model – still officially unannounced but definitely fuel cell-powered – will arrive in 2028.

“We believe the timing is right”

“We believe the timing is right,” he said, pointing to rapidly developing infrastructure across Europe, Korea, and Japan. “Since we’ve been pioneering both battery electric and hydrogen technologies, we’re ready to lead.”

Why hydrogen, and why now?

BMW’s battery-electric models have already made their mark, but Guldner insists hydrogen is more than just a niche interest – it’s complementary, crucial even, for specific user cases.

“Hydrogen vehicles combine the best of both worlds,” he explained. “They offer the electric driving experience – quiet, zero emissions, instant torque – but can be refuelled in three or four minutes, like a petrol car.”

Not everyone has easy access to electric charging, either at home or at work, and not everyone wants to pause journeys to recharge batteries, no matter how quick charging becomes. “Hydrogen neatly solves these problems”, Guldner noted.

Beyond pure energy efficiency, Guldner highlighted hydrogen’s potential advantages in raw materials usage and overall lifecycle impact.

As battery demand increases, these factors become increasingly important in sustainable mobility.

And unlike batteries, hydrogen doesn’t demand the same volumes of lithium, cobalt, or rare earths – making it a potentially less resource-intensive alternative for long-term mass adoption.

Strengthening ties with Toyota

BMW’s hydrogen ambitions are closely tied to a longstanding partnership with Toyota. The collaboration, stretching back more than a decade, has evolved significantly.

While the current iX5 Hydrogen prototype uses Toyota’s Mirai fuel cells, BMW integrates them into its own fuel cell systems to build expertise.

But Guldner revealed that the next phase is much deeper collaboration. “For the 2028 model, we’re extending our cooperation, working closely with Toyota on the full fuel-cell system design to harness economies of scale.”

Joint promotional efforts and infrastructure advocacy also form part of the strengthened alliance, emphasising the strategic seriousness of BMW’s hydrogen play.

Hydrogen fuel cell vs combustion: efficiency wins – for now

BMW’s hydrogen history includes memorable combustion experiments, notably the Hydrogen 7. But for passenger cars at least, fuel cells have won the day thanks to superior efficiency.

“Fuel cells offer about two-thirds more range compared to combustion”, Guldner explained.

“Given limited space in passenger vehicles, this makes fuel cells the sensible choice. Trucks might suit combustion engines better, but fuel cells are the clear winner for cars.”

Asked about high-performance hydrogen combustion engines for future BMW M cars, Guldner wouldn’t rule out the possibility in future – but did say “right now we’re not working on hydrogen combustion. We’ll see what the future holds.”

Busting hydrogen myths

Guldner addressed several common hydrogen misconceptions head-on, starting with efficiency comparisons to battery EVs.

“Efficiency alone doesn’t tell the full story. Hydrogen’s real value emerges when you view the whole energy system, including storage, transport, and usage of surplus renewable energy.

“If renewables are otherwise wasted, converting them into hydrogen is essentially using free energy.”

Addressing safety concerns, Guldner directly confronted historical hydrogen fears: “Some people still have the Hindenburg in their heads,” he said. “But our hydrogen vehicles meet precisely the same safety standards as all other modern cars.”

Refuelling misconceptions also persist. “Modern hydrogen cars match conventional vehicles’ safety standards. Refuelling is standardised globally and simpler and cleaner than filling up with petrol,” he added.

The process is intuitive: lift the nozzle, click it into place, press the button. “Once you’ve done it once, it’s second nature,” Guldner said.

Solving the chicken-and-egg dilemma

Finally, Guldner tackled hydrogen’s perennial challenge: infrastructure.

BMW isn’t waiting passively. Instead, the company actively supports the creation of hydrogen ecosystems in metropolitan areas.

Partnerships are key, with sectors like trucks, buses, passenger vehicles, and taxis all pulling together to make refuelling practical and widespread.

“Projects like the hydrogen truck programme in the UK, which includes passenger-car refuelling options, are the future. BMW can’t build all these stations alone, but we’re proactively working with partners to develop the network,” he concluded.

Hydrogen, Guldner believes, has finally found its moment – and BMW intends to be front and centre when it does.