Fuel Type: Batterieelektrisch (BEV)

BMW promotes hydrogen technology with new model in 2022

BMW has confirmed that its i Hydrogen Next technology will go on sale in 2022, with a new model, based on the current X5, becoming the first to feature the powertrain.

The carmaker announced plans to develop a hydrogen drive system for sale last year. However, since then Daimler has pulled out of developing the technology for passenger vehicles, while pressure has increased on all carmakers to create electrified drivetrains to lower average emissions. But the German manufacturer remains committed to hydrogen, seeing the long-term benefits of the zero-emission technology.

The carmaker has been working with Toyota, a leader in the development of hydrogen powertrains, to develop the technology for its vehicles. Since summer 2015, the BMW Group has been testing development vehicles, based on the BMW 5-Series GT, that are equipped with a jointly developed fuel-cell system. 

The fuel-cell stack that will power the new BMW i Hydrogen NEXT model is an original development of the BMW Group, according to the company. The individual cells of the fuel cell come from Toyota. An automated research facility for the production of fuel-cell stacks is used in the manufacture of the X5 pilot fleet.

The testing of innovative production technologies is an important step in the preparation of scalable, time, cost and quality optimised production of hydrogen fuel-cell drives.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmSXAbkvoE8&feature=emb_logo

‘In the future, the hydrogen fuel-cell drive can be an attractive alternative to battery-electric vehicles (BEVs), especially for customers who do not have access to their own charging infrastructure and who often drive long distances,’ the company said. ‘With a sufficient refuelling infrastructure, hydrogen vehicles offer great flexibility, since the full range is available again after a short refuelling process of around four minutes – regardless of temperature conditions.’

Beneficial technology

Hydrogen has the potential to sit alongside BEV technology and create a two-fuel system once various countries ban the internal combustion engine. It offers drivers a longer range than some BEVs. At the same time, refuelling times are comparable to petrol and diesel, meaning those covering longer journeys would be able to do so with ease in a vehicle that only emits H2O from the exhaust.

Toyota has led the way with hydrogen development and was the first to bring a production car to market, albeit in small numbers. Hyundai is also developing the technology, while Daimler, which pulled out of researching and producing fuel-cell passenger cars, will instead focus on the use of hydrogen in larger commercial vehicles.

‘What we see today is a rapid shift into battery, because to produce fuel-cell power, you need to have an electric powertrain first,’ Toyota’s manager of alternative fuels, Jon Hunt, said at a summit earlier this year. ‘So that’s where the development is occurring, before moving to fuel-cell electric vehicles (FCEV).’

‘Notwithstanding that, there are many manufacturers who have huge issues of achieving their emission reductions to avoid fines. That means that they have to have a certain proportion of zero-emission cars. That is distorting the market.’

Coronavirus impact

However, the current situation the market finds itself in following the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and associated lockdowns may change the timeline of hydrogen development.

Carmakers are facing large fines if they fail to bring down their average fleet emissions by the end of 2021, and with the diesel market collapsing, the only way to do this is by manufacturing a technology that is already further along the development path – and that is battery-electric. With COVID-19 and the resulting economic turmoil, development budgets will likely be cut, and therefore hydrogen technology will suffer.

Yet with Toyota, Hyundai and now BMW actively pursuing hydrogen as an alternative fuel of choice, their development may aid others in the research of the technology. Toyota has already announced it will allow access to its patents around hydrogen.

Committed choice

BMW sees hydrogen as giving its customers another choice when it comes to vehicle powertrains.

‘Politicians have recognised the importance of green hydrogen for the energy system of the future,’ said BMW CEO Oliver Zipse, referring to the support of the German Government with the National Hydrogen Strategy. ‘We expressly welcome the various initiatives. For road traffic, an expansion of the infrastructure is now required, which takes into account the needs of both commercial vehicles and cars. Depending on how the general conditions develop, hydrogen fuel-cell technology has the potential to become another pillar in the BMW Group’s drive portfolio.’

Zipse added to his feelings about hydrogen technology at BMW’s annual general meeting (AGM), saying: ‘We continue to invest consciously in various technologies. This includes hydrogen fuel-cell technology. Ultimately, this is the most intelligent and fastest way to effective climate protection.’

Outside influence

The BMW Group also has experience with the use of hydrogen outside of drive development. The company has always followed the path of resource-saving and sustainable production of vehicles and is continuing this path with the use of hydrogen.

The carmaker’s Leipzig plant has been operating hydrogen-powered industrial trucks since 2013. The use of innovative hydrogen technology offers the site the long-term opportunity to further promote decarbonisation. 

‘With the National Hydrogen Strategy and the billions promised to be implemented in the economic stimulus package, the Federal Government has sent a clear signal,’ said Peter Altmaier, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy, while visiting the Leipzig plant recently. ‘We will shape the framework and actively support the economy in the development and use of hydrogen technology. However, the marketable implementation of hydrogen technologies lies with the companies. And I am therefore very happy that there are many companies like BMW in Germany that have the vision, the courage and the innovative strength to make this technology a market success.’

Vehicle details

The system performance of the BMW i Hydrogen NEXT comes to a total of 275kW (374hp) according to the carmaker.

‘With the drive system of the BMW i Hydrogen NEXT, the fuel-cell system generates up to 125 kW (170hp) of electrical energy, which is obtained from the chemical reaction of hydrogen and oxygen from the air,’ says Jürgen Guldner, head of BMW Group Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technology and vehicle projects. ‘This means that the vehicle only emits water vapour.’

The electrical converter, which is located below the fuel cell, adjusts its voltage level to that of the electrical drive and the power buffer battery. This is fed by both the kinetic energy from braking and the energy of the fuel cell. 

The vehicle itself houses two 700 bar tanks, which together hold six kilograms of hydrogen. ‘This guarantees long ranges in all weather conditions,’ Guldner adds. ‘The refuelling process only takes three to four minutes.’

Honda e – taking the ‘retro and cute’ route

The new Honda e does not go unnoticed with its ‘retro and cute,’ but unique, urban design. It closely resembles the first-generation Civic, only with futuristic cues. This is coupled with a clean interior that fuses retro styling with space-age technology. The car drives really well too, with excellent balance, a tight turning circle, progressive suspension, and dynamic acceleration.

List prices of the Honda e are high but even at the base trim level, the model has adaptive cruise control, LED fog lights, lane assist, keyless entry, a panoramic roof, privacy glass and an innovative side-camera mirror system. The dashboard has a full suite of screens running from end to end, with the outer two screens displaying the side-camera feeds.

Honda’s first battery-electric vehicle (BEV) has a comparatively short range but is capable of fast charging on a 100kW DC charger, which will recharge the battery almost fully in just 30 minutes. Furthermore, owners can plug a games console into the dashboard screens and play whilst waiting for the car to charge. This just shows the type of customer that Honda is trying to attract.

The Honda e has some very stiff competition in the form of the Mini Electric, the new Peugeot e-208 (as well as its sister car, the Opel/Vauxhall Corsa-e), and the updated Renault Zoe. Incentives and the increasing supply of B-segment BEVs could negatively impact residual values unless demand improves.

Click here or on the image below to read Autovista Group’s benchmarking of the Honda e in France, Italy, Spain and the UK.

We present new prices, forecast residual values and SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis.

Honda e Launch Report

Autovista Group Insights: Improving safety in vehicles

With the safety systems for both vehicle occupants and pedestrians improving, Autovista Group’s Daily Brief team looks at the technology being introduced to help towards Europe’s vision of zero road fatalities by 2050. This includes developments in autonomous technology alongside advanced vehicle systems, and improved crash structures…

You can view more video content from the Daily Brief team on our dedicated YouTube channel. Click here and subscribe to be notified of new content when it becomes available.

German new-car registrations fell 5.4% in July and Spain

German new-car registrations dropped by 5.4% in July, compared with the same month in 2019. A total of 314,938 new cars were registered, according to the latest figures from the automotive authority Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt (KBA).

This is the greatest performance of the German market since the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic put sales on lockdown. The government announced a COVID-19 economic recovery package at the start of June. It looks to boost the sales of low- and zero-emission cars while investing in green transport infrastructure. Conversely, petrol- and diesel-powered vehicles did not feature in the package. Incentives were extended since 1 July, supporting registrations.

The country endured declines of 32.2% in June, 49.5% in May and 61.1% in April. However, Germany now lags behind France, Spain and the UK, which saw 3.9%, 1.1%, and 11.3% year-on-year rises respectively in July. Overall, the number of private registrations in Germany rose last month by 7.1% to a share of 41%.

How brands fared

There was a mixed performance among German brands. Double-digit growth was recorded for the likes of Mini at 35.7%, followed by BMW with 17.4%, and Mercedes at 10.7%. Porsche saw single-digit growth of 2.4%. For other brands, however, there were significant decreases in new-car registrations compared with the same month last year. Smart was down 51.6%, Opel dropped by 45.2%, Ford by 22.5%, Audi by 20.8% and VW by 3.3%. At 19%, the VW brand accounted for the largest brand share of new registrations.

Among the imported brands, increases were recorded among Subaru, up 63.9%, Jeep, up 42.2%, and Mitsubishi, up 33.4%. In contrast, declines were recorded for Tesla at 66.6%, Land Rover 39.9%, Jaguar 38.9%, Alfa Romeo 33.6% and Dacia 32.1%. With a new-car registration share of 7% (up 8.3%), Skoda was once again the largest import brand in the monthly balance.

How types fared

Year-on-year registration increases were recorded for motorhomes (94.7%), small cars (9.5%), SUVs (3.1%) and the luxury class (2.7%). The remaining segments recorded declines. Compact MPVs dropped by 49.5%, full-size MPVs were down 39.8%. The segment with the highest share was SUVs with 21.8%, closely followed by the compact class with 21.1%.

Registrations of petrol-powered vehicles fell by 20.3%, with a share of 49% at 154,352 new vehicles. Some 89,543 cars were equipped with diesel-powered engines. After a decline of 18.6%, their market share was 28.4%.

Compared with July 2019, alternative drivetrains showed growth, in some cases in the three-digit range. The number of electric vehicles (EVs) grew by 181.7% to 16,798 new vehicles, bringing their new-car registration share to 5.3%. A total of 52,488 hybrids generated growth of 143.5%, equalling a share of 16.7%. This included 19,119 plug-in hybrids (PHEV), up 484.7% with a share of 6.1%. With 933 new cars and a registration increase of 13.8%, natural gas-powered vehicles achieved a share of 0.3%. By contrast, 784 liquid gas-powered passenger cars recorded a decline of 4.2% with a share of 0.2%. Average CO2 emissions fell by 8.7% to 144.5 g/km.

Business expectations rise

These latest figures support a rise in business expectations by German automotive companies, as revealed by the Ifo Institute’s latest survey. Outlooks improved considerably for the second consecutive month in July, with carmakers also expecting exports to grow. Demand expectations also strengthened somewhat compared to the previous month, alongside production outlook.

However, the institute’s business situation indicator remained negative in July. ‘Headcount developments remain worrying,’ said Klaus Wohlrabe, head of surveys at Ifo. Outlook on personnel planning rose weakly but remained worse than during the 2009 financial crisis.

Incentives generate growth in July new-car registrations in France and Spain

The automotive trade associations in France and Spain report that new-car registrations grew by 3.9% and 1.1% year-on-year respectively in July. Both markets are being stimulated by government-backed incentives, although the scrappage scheme for older cars has already been exhausted in France. Autovista Group senior data journalist Neil King discusses the latest developments.

As Europe continues its emergence from coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdowns, Autovista Group expected that new-car registration figures would continue to improve in July. Thanks to incentive schemes offered by their respective governments to help the automotive market in the wake of the disruption, both France and Spain even recorded positive growth compared to the same month last year.

New-car registrations were 3.9% higher in France in July 2020 than in July 2019, according to the latest data released by the CCFA, the French automotive industry association. This is an improvement on the 1.2% year-on-year growth in new-car registrations in the country in June and the tally of 178,982 registrations is even more impressive as there was one less working day in July 2020 than in July 2019 (22 versus 23). Based on a comparable number of working days, the CCFA reports that the market expanded by 8.6% in the month.

Whereas the incentives introduced on 1 June for new battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) remain, the additional bonus for trading in older cars for cleaner new and used cars was exhausted before the end of July. The scrappage scheme reached its 200,000-vehicle cap after just two months, but the Ministry of Ecological Transition announced it would be replacing the recovery scheme with a conversion bonus. Applicable from 3 August, it will closely resemble one that had been in place several years before coronavirus (COVID-19) struck Europe.

In Spain, 117,929 new cars were registered in July, 1.1% more than in July 2019, according to ANFAC, the Spanish vehicle manufacturers’ association. ‘This boost to sales is having very positive consequences for the recovery of employment throughout the value chain. Dealers already have 90% of their workforce working, around 150,000 employees, and in factories, recovery rates exceed 85%. The Spanish market is especially important for Spanish factories because one in four vehicles manufactured in the country is sold within our borders,’ ANFAC commented.

New-car registrations, France and Spain, year-on-year percentage change, July and year-to-date 2020

Pkw-Neuzulassungen, Frankreich und Spanien, Veränderung gegenüber dem Vorjahr in Prozent, Juli und seit Jahresbeginn 2020

Source: CCFA, ANFAC

Late reopening, MOVES II and RENOVE schemes boost Spain

There was a phased approach to relaxing the lockdown measures in Spain, which largely explains why the new-car market was still weak, even in June. However, dealers can now fully reopen, and the introduction of the MOVES II incentive scheme for new BEVs and PHEVs and the RENOVE scrappage scheme have further stimulated the Spanish market since their introduction in early July.

Under the MOVES II scheme, buyers of new BEVs and PHEVs costing less than €45,000 are entitled to a total subsidy of €5,000 (€4,000 from the government and €1,000 from the manufacturer). Buyers can also receive an additional bonus of €500 if they trade in a car to be scrapped that is over seven years of age.

Cars with other fuel types are not eligible for the MOVES II new-car incentive but can still benefit from the RENOVE scrappage scheme. When scrapping a car over ten years of age, buyers of hybrids, mild-hybrids and CNG or LPG cars costing less than €35,000 receive a bonus up to €2,000 – half provided by the government and half by the manufacturer. For cars with internal combustion engines (ICE) costing less than €35,000 and with CO2 emissions lower than 120g per kilometre, the maximum bonus is €1,600.

Both the MOVES II and RENOVE schemes have been applied retroactively to 1 January 2020, and so both new and young used cars are eligible for the subsidies in order to avoid potential stock problems.

‘The positive registrations of passenger cars in the month of July reflect the significant boost given to the market by the RENOVE 2020 plan, a boost that allows economic activity and employment to be recovered and advances the decarbonisation of the parc by compulsory scrapping,’ commented Noemi Navas, director of communications for ANFAC.

Maintaining mobilisation

The end of the scrappage scheme in France, in conjunction with dissipating pent-up demand, means new-car registrations are unlikely to maintain their positive growth in the coming months. Spain invariably faces the same challenges.

Raúl Morales, communications director of Faconauto, said: ‘From now on, the challenge is to maintain this mobilisation of the market to strengthen the recovery. And the good news is that the RENOVE has room to be more decisive since approximately 20% of registrations have utilised it since it has been operational.’

‘Although with these figures we are seeing a V-shaped recovery, we must be very cautious, and the key will be in September, which is when the impact of the coronavirus crisis will be seen in business. The key to recovery, in a black year also for tourism, will be to get the pact to approve the budgets and to articulate as soon as possible the arrival of the aid approved by Europe,’ cautioned Tania Puche, director of communications of the Spanish trade association Ganvam.

As it stands, Ana Azofra, valuations and insights manager at Autovista Group in Spain, said that the forecast for Spain is still for a 40-45% decline for new cars in 2020 and 20-25% for used cars. How the new plans develop and European funds are allocated will largely dictate the outlook going forward.

Podcast: The three speeds of lockdown emergence

3 August 2020

The Autovista Group Daily Brief Team discusses the biggest automotive topics of the last fortnight. In this episode, Neil King discusses the differing residual value developments in Europe, Tom Geggus looks at bi-directional EV charging and Phil Curry suggests the CES 2021 cancellation will have more of an impact on the industry than any other show. Plus a round-up of some of the latest developments in electrification.

https://soundcloud.com/autovistagroup/three-speeds-of-lockdown-emergence

You can also listen and subscribe to receive further episodes direct to your mobile device on Apple, Spotify and Google Podcasts