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Archive for June 28th, 2009

Bmw Hydrogen 7 Invades The Streets

Following its launch at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth a fleet of three BMW Hydrogen 7s will take part in the Revolve Brighton to London rally for low and zeroemission cars. The rally which is scheduled today will start on Madeira Drive in Brighton; the fleet of Hydrogen 7s will follow a preplanned route ending at Trafalgar Square in London.

During the course of the event HRH The Prince of Wales a Government Minister the Deputy Mayor of London Nicky Gavron and a number of other dignitaries will be introduced to the worlds first hydrogenpowered emissionsfree luxury saloon car. After the rally the BMW Hydrogen 7 will be displayed at the London Science Museum along with other historysignificant vehicles.

The use of the BMW Hydrogen 7 at the Revolve Brighton to London rally marks yet another step towards hydrogen powered cars becoming an everyday reality on the streets of this country. Zero emission motoring is no longer a dream and this car proves the technology isnt as far away as some sceptics may think said John Hollis the BMW Group Head of Government and Industrial Affairs.

He added We want to kickstart the debate about the future of personal mobility and the importance of hydrogen as the definitive fuel. The opinions of politicians and other influencers are important in driving this forward to ensure that hydrogenpower comes to fruition as soon as possible.

The BMW Hydrogen 7 which is based on the chassis of the standard 7series comes equipped with a bivalent internal combustion engine that is capable of running on hydrogen or gasoline. In hydrogen mode the Hydrogen 7 emits nothing more than water vapor. Powered by a 260hp 12cylinder engine the saloon car accelerates from zero to 62mph in 9.5 seconds before going on to an electronicallylimited 143mph top speed.

The driver can switch smoothly and quickly from hydrogen to conventional petrol power at the press of a steering wheelmounted button with its unique dual fuel engine. The dual power technology means the car has a cruising range in excess of 125 miles in the hydrogen mode with a further 300 miles under gasoline power. The Hydrogen 7 is equipped with a BMW heater core 74litregasoline tank and an extra hydrogen fuel tank holding up to eight kilograms of liquid hydrogen which is stored at 253 degrees Celsius. Such flexibility means the driver of a BMW Hydrogen 7 is able to use the vehicle at all times even when the nearest hydrogen filling station is out of range. In Wembley a bespoke filling station has been constructed to support the automakers plans.

Engine power and torque in the car saloon remain exactly the same notwithstanding the kind of fuel used. The driver can switch between the two without any effect on driving performance or behavior. The Hydrogen 7 always gives priority to the use of hydrogen but should this run out; the vehicle automatically switches to gasoline power.

Unlike previous hydrogen concept cars flaunted by rival manufacturers the Hydrogen 7 is deemed a milestone in the auto history. It is a full production ready vehicle which has met all the strict processes and final signoff criteria that each present BMW model undergoes.

A more efficient route for car makers would be to focus on highmileage gasolinepowered vehicles. They are far simpler and less sexy than hydrogen cars Mr. Talbot says but for now they stack up as the cleaner option the Wall Street Journal concluded.

About the writer:  Anthony Fontanelle is a 35yearold automotive buff who grew up in the Windy City. He does freelance work for an automotive magazine when he is not busy customizing cars in his shop.