BMW Hydrogen 7 - World's First Hydrogen-Drive Luxury Performance Car
The futuristic BMW Hydrogen 7 was officially unveiled by the company and looks like it might be successful in ushering in a new era of automobiles by going green! By green I don’t mean the color scheme but the fact that its environmental friendly since it can run on both hydrogen and gasoline.
Till now all non gasoline based cars haven’t been exactly luxurious and BMW seeks to change that. In fact the BMW Hydrogen 7 has been tagged at the ‘the world's first hydrogen-drive luxury performance automobile’ and has also passed Product Development Process.
When the car is in Hydrogen mode it emits only vapor which is not injurious to Mother Nature is anyway. The vehicle is powered by a 260 hp twelve-cylinder engine and 143 mph is the maximum speed attainable. To switch to gas from hydrogen one just needs to press a single button.
Like all BMW vehicles this one is also the last name in class and luxury. One will come across mind-boggling interiors and features like climate comfort composite glazing, automatic air conditioning, auxiliary heating, electric seat heating for the driver, electric seat adjustment with memory function on the front seats, ISOFIX child seat fastenings, Park Distance Control, a rain sensor, exterior and interior mirrors with automatic anti-dazzle, Soft Close Automatic for the doors and so on. The car would be available in Europe and the US as limited series and for more info visit BMW
BMW today announced the introduction of the new BMW Hydrogen 7, the world's first hydrogen-drive luxury performance automobile. The car -- a vehicle that has undergone the regular Product Development Process -- will be built in a limited series in Europe and driven in the US and other countries by selected users in 2007. It is equipped with an internal combustion engine capable of running either on hydrogen or on gasoline and based on the BMW 7 Series.
Hydrogen technology dramatically reduces emissions generated by personal transport and, in particular, minimizes the emission of CO2. Running in the hydrogen mode, the BMW Hydrogen 7 essentially emits nothing but vapor. And, unlike fossil fuels and traditional gasoline, hydrogen is available in virtually infinite supply. With the BMW Hydrogen 7, the BMW Group is laying down a marker for sustainable mobility. This car will play a pioneering role in driving forward hydrogen technologies. BMW has gained an excellent reputation for significantly reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by using ultra efficient, yet very dynamic gasoline engines. Together with clean performance diesel cars and the technologically advanced hybrid systems currently under development within the BMW Efficient Dynamics project, the BMW Group has a clear strategy for sustainable mobility with hydrogen as the ultimate goal.
With all the comforts and amenities of non-hydrogen BMW 7 Series, the BMW Hydrogen 7 is powered by a 260 hp twelve-cylinder engine and accelerates from 0-62.1 mph in 9.5 seconds. Top speed is limited electronically to 143 mph. The BMW Hydrogen 7 also features a dual-mode power unit -- controlled at the touch of a button -- that can switch quickly and conveniently from hydrogen to conventional premium gasoline.
The car's dual-mode drive provides an overall cruising range of more than 400 miles and enables the driver of a BMW Hydrogen 7 to enjoy virtually unlimited mobility, even when far away from the nearest hydrogen filling station. This technology is a viable solution until the hydrogen infrastructure is fully developed.
BMW CleanEnergy: paving the way into the future.
The BMW Hydrogen 7 perfectly captures the essence of the BMW CleanEnergy strategy. By using hydrogen produced from water and renewable energy, such as wind, sun or hydropower, in an internal combustion engine, the car's emissions in hydrogen mode are essentially nothing but vapor. And, with this emitted water vapor, the cycle can start again and the dream of sustainable mobility without using fossil fuel resources and without impacting the earth's climate can become a reality. The complete change from a fossil fuel infrastructure to a hydrogen economy will require decades, but with the Hydrogen 7, BMW shows that bringing hydrogen technology to the road is indeed feasible.
Stumble It! | Posted by Paul on September 13, 2006 2:09 AM
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