Tag Archives: BMW

NEW CARS

Hydrogen-Powered BMW X5 to Join the Lineup in 2028

BMW has never been shy about hedging its bets when it comes to future propulsion. While rivals charge headlong into battery-only electrification, Munich is keeping every card on the table—petrol, diesel, plug-in hybrid, EV, and now, hydrogen. In 2028, the X5 will officially gain a fuel-cell variant, marking the brand’s first hydrogen-powered model to be offered to paying customers.

The move builds on BMW’s iX5 Hydrogen pilot fleet, which has quietly been logging miles since 2023. Those vehicles, strictly used for testing and development, ran a Toyota-supplied second-generation fuel-cell stack paired with BMW’s own integration. With a combined 396 horsepower and a WLTP range of 313 miles, it was a promising appetizer. The main course arrives in four years, powered by BMW’s third-generation system.

Smaller, Stronger, Smarter

The new setup, developed once again with Toyota, is said to be 25 percent smaller than the iX5 Hydrogen’s unit but offers more power density and greater efficiency. BMW says it’s modular by design, meaning it can scale across multiple vehicle platforms. Production of the stacks will take place in Steyr, Austria, while other key components—like a new hydrogen-specific high-voltage brain dubbed the BMW Energy Master—will be built in Landshut, Germany.

Prototypes are already being pieced together at Dingolfing, with BMW board member for development Joachim Post promising “improved range, higher output, and significantly greater efficiency” compared with the current pilot fleet. Translation: expect more horsepower and more miles between fill-ups from the new X5 Hydrogen.

A Limited-Run Experiment

BMW won’t flood showrooms with this one. Sales will be limited to markets where hydrogen refueling infrastructure actually exists—a caveat that should temper any expectations of wide availability. That said, the X5 Hydrogen represents an important milestone: BMW’s first commercial hydrogen passenger vehicle after decades of dabbling.

A New-Gen X5, A New Look Inside

The hydrogen variant will ride on the upcoming fifth-generation X5, codenamed G65, which itself is due in 2026. Early prototypes reveal styling cues lifted from the next iX3, including sleeker lines and a more aggressive stance. Inside, the transformation is more radical. Out goes the familiar instrument cluster and the long-serving iDrive rotary controller. In their place: a panoramic projected display, a 17.9-inch widescreen central interface, and full reliance on voice and touch inputs.

The Long Game

BMW’s hydrogen strategy may seem contrarian in today’s EV-hungry market, but it’s a deliberate hedge. The company insists that hydrogen fuel cells can coexist with battery EVs, especially for long-distance and heavy-use scenarios. With Toyota as a partner and a modular system capable of scaling across platforms, the upcoming X5 Hydrogen is less a one-off experiment and more a test case for a wider rollout down the road.

The future of hydrogen cars remains uncertain. But BMW, never one to ignore an engineering challenge, is betting there’s room for both plugs and pumps. In 2028, the X5 will let customers decide.

Source: BMW

Motorcycles

BMW Motorrad Vision CE: Rethinking the Helmet-Free Scooter for 2025

At the 2025 IAA Mobility show in Munich, BMW Motorrad pulled the covers off the Vision CE, a concept that reimagines what an electric scooter could mean for city life. And in true BMW fashion, it’s not just another battery-powered two-wheeler—it’s a revival of one of the brand’s most eccentric ideas.

If the Vision CE looks unusual, that’s because it is. A tubular safety cage surrounds the rider, paired with a seat belt and reinforced seat, creating what BMW calls a “safety cell.” The design makes helmets and armored jackets unnecessary—at least in theory. For anyone who remembers the BMW C1, a semi-enclosed scooter from the early 2000s, the resemblance isn’t coincidental. That model let riders legally skip helmets in some markets thanks to its integrated roll cage and belts. It never went mainstream, but it left behind a cult following that valued comfort and convenience over convention.

Now, BMW thinks the idea might finally have its moment.

Building on the CE Family

The Vision CE isn’t a clean-sheet design—it draws from BMW’s CE 04 electric scooter, which has become a leader in its class since launching in 2022. With 42 horsepower on tap, the CE 04 zips from 0 to 50 km/h in 2.6 seconds and delivers up to 130 kilometers of range. It proved that two-wheeled EVs could be both practical and stylish. The smaller CE 02 carried the idea further, targeting a younger, urban demographic.

The Vision CE takes that proven formula and layers on safety and accessibility. The trade-off? Added weight from the cage will likely trim range and performance. But for short city trips—the scooter’s natural habitat—that compromise feels acceptable.

Style Meets Utility

Design is where the Vision CE really stands apart. Long, low proportions and a stretched wheelbase give it a planted stance. The cage doesn’t feel claustrophobic; it’s open and airy, almost architectural. BMW kept the color scheme crisp—matte white panels against black details, sharpened by neon red graphics. Exposed aluminum adds mechanical honesty, while the saddle’s matte finish avoids gadget-like gimmickry.

It’s futuristic without being over-designed—a tricky balance most concepts miss.

Technology That Stands Still

One of the Vision CE’s standout tricks is its self-balancing system, which keeps the scooter upright at stops. It sounds minor, but it has real-world payoffs: no more fumbling at traffic lights, easier maneuvering for new riders, and an overall sense of stability. If scooters are to appeal to non-riders, features like this could make the difference.

Production Potential

BMW hasn’t confirmed whether the Vision CE will see showrooms, but history suggests it might. Both the CE 04 and CE 02 started as concepts before reaching production almost unchanged. And BMW has never fully let go of the “cabin scooter” idea the C1 introduced 25 years ago.

A production-ready Vision CE would almost certainly gain an aerodynamically covered roof for weather protection—and to strengthen the case for helmet-free riding. Such a package could appeal to commuters who want scooter efficiency without the hassle of helmets, gloves, and sweaty protective gear.

For BMW, the Vision CE is less about selling a scooter and more about reframing two-wheel commuting. By removing barriers of safety gear and intimidation, it might just invite a new kind of rider into the fold.

And this time, the world might finally be ready.

Source: BMW

NEW CARS

BMW iX3: The Dawn of Neue Klasse – And the End of Mirrors as We Know Them?

Not long now. In just a few days, BMW will finally peel back the shadows on its second-gen iX3, and Bavaria’s answer to the Tesla Model Y will officially break cover. Until then, Munich has tossed us a bone: a moody teaser image that hides more than it shows, though enough light escapes to sketch out the SUV’s fresh lighting signature. Consider it the automotive equivalent of showing some ankle before the big reveal.

If you squint hard enough through the dark, you’ll spot a face inspired by last year’s Vision Neue Klasse X concept. No shock there – BMW’s already told us the Neue Klasse design language is the blueprint for the brand’s electric future. The iX3 sticks with vertically stacked kidney grilles (sorry, “closed-off illuminated kidneys with extra LED garnish”), which BMW now reserves exclusively for SUVs. Sedans, by contrast, will get the wider, horizontal look – as previewed by the Neue Klasse saloon. File under “how to tell your Bavarian family apart.”

And while we’re here: yes, the grille lights up. Because in 2025, if your EV doesn’t glow like a cyberpunk vape pen, are you even trying?

The headlights are lifted almost wholesale from the Vision concept – slim, sleek, and mean. Above, the bonnet wears a proud central crease with the roundel perched atop, like a crown jewel reminding you that heritage still matters in a world of silent motors.

Of course, there are compromises on the way from concept catwalk to production showroom. Out go the sci-fi side cameras; in come good old-fashioned door mirrors. Functional, legal everywhere, and chunky enough to mess with airflow like a toddler with a paddle in a paddling pool. Whether BMW will eventually offer the aero-friendly cameras remains to be seen – they’re already cleared for certain markets, but for now the showroom-ready iX3 plays it safe.

Safety, however, doesn’t mean boring. The iX3 50 xDrive, the one in the teaser, is claimed to cover 400 miles (644 km) on EPA and a WLTP-friendly 497 miles (800 km). China gets an even longer-wheelbase variant next year with an eyebrow-raising 559 miles (900 km) CLTC – because bigger always means better over there. Expect more flavours later: a single-motor rear-drive special, an M Performance bruiser, and eventually a proper M weapon for those who want their family EV with Nürburgring credentials.

Under the skin, this isn’t just another SUV. It’s the first proper child of BMW’s Neue Klasse programme, codenamed “NA5.” Translation? New batteries, new motors, new digital toys, and new factories – namely, BMW’s shiny Debrecen plant in Hungary, where the iX3 will roll off the line before being joined by the i3 saloon in 2026.

This is more than another premium EV SUV. It’s a stake in the ground. BMW is betting billions – its largest single investment in history – that Neue Klasse tech will reshape not just its electric future, but combustion cars too. Expect iDrive X, Panoramic Vision, and the kind of digital wizardry that makes even Stuttgart sweat.

So yes, the iX3 is “just” another premium electric crossover in a world already knee-deep in them. But it’s also BMW’s loudest statement in decades. This isn’t an evolution; it’s a reset. And as the covers finally come off, the only real question is: will it be remembered as the Model Y’s nemesis… or as the first true BMW of the post-petrol age?

Source: BMW