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BMW says goodbye to electric cars. Shifts focus to hydrogen engines

4 points by max_ 3y ago

arthurcolle 3y ago
bmw and hydrogen, name a more fraught duo
clouddrover 3y ago
BMW is not saying goodbye to electric cars for two reasons. The first is that hydrogen fuel cell cars are electric cars. The second is that BMW will continue to release battery electric cars. BMW’s future BEVs will be based on the Neue Klass platform. BMW just recently released the new i5 BEV sedan with a wagon variant coming soon.
oldpersonintx 3y ago
[dead]
beardyw 3y ago
I am puzzled by the antipathy towards hydrogen. I mean, if it works, what's the problem? If it doesn't, what's the problem?
- max_ 3y ago
  It maybe bad news if your invested in Tesla EVs & Lithium Ion technology. As for the climate & consumers, it's a win win.
- jfengel 3y ago
  Because it doesn't work. Hydrogen is very difficult to manage. It requires very high pressures, leaks directly through materials, and causes a lot of damage to materials. And while "green" hydrogen is theoretically possible, there is no infrastructure for it. Now, and for the foreseeable future, it's produced using fossil fuels. If it were left at that, it would just be a technical problem. The real antipathy comes from the fact that hydrogen is being pushed by fossil fuel companies and others with a stake in battery-electric vehicles failing. It's not "merely wrong". It's deliberate disinformation, and that's infuriating.
Arnt 3y ago
Meanwhile back in reality, BTW is building a new battery factory and no new hydrogen-related factory. (Source: local press near BMW HQ, all paywalled. https://www.sueddeutsche.de/bayern/fnord-1.5802070 https://www.sueddeutsche.de/bayern/fnord-1.5802070 seems open now.)
JojoFatsani 3y ago
This headline is inaccurate.
- seanmcdirmid 3y ago
  The headline is inaccurate and is meant as pure click bait.
  - iso8859-1 3y ago
    The article repeats the inaccuracy though.
krobele 3y ago
They should focus on straight forward hydrogen combustion engines. If Ev's survive then they should survive on their own tech battery advancements. Don't mix the two together. That's just silly
krobeler 3y ago
They should focus on straight forward hydrogen combustion engines. If Ev's survive then they should survive on their own tech battery advancements. Don't mix the two together. That's just silly
- ephbit 3y ago
  > They should focus on straight forward hydrogen combustion engines. Why would they? A combustion engine drive-train has an efficiency that's significantly lower than that of a fuel-cell EV drive-train. Combusting hydrogen in an ICE as opposed to oxidizing it in a fuelcell is just a waste of energy.

4 points by max_ 3y ago

bmw and hydrogen, name a more fraught duo

BMW is not saying goodbye to electric cars for two reasons. The first is that hydrogen fuel cell cars are electric cars. The second is that BMW will continue to release battery electric cars. BMW’s future BEVs will be based on the Neue Klass platform. BMW just recently released the new i5 BEV sedan with a wagon variant coming soon.

oldpersonintx 3y ago

[dead]

beardyw 3y ago

I am puzzled by the antipathy towards hydrogen. I mean, if it works, what's the problem? If it doesn't, what's the problem?

max_ 3y ago
It maybe bad news if your invested in Tesla EVs & Lithium Ion technology. As for the climate & consumers, it's a win win.
jfengel 3y ago
Because it doesn't work. Hydrogen is very difficult to manage. It requires very high pressures, leaks directly through materials, and causes a lot of damage to materials. And while "green" hydrogen is theoretically possible, there is no infrastructure for it. Now, and for the foreseeable future, it's produced using fossil fuels. If it were left at that, it would just be a technical problem. The real antipathy comes from the fact that hydrogen is being pushed by fossil fuel companies and others with a stake in battery-electric vehicles failing. It's not "merely wrong". It's deliberate disinformation, and that's infuriating.

Arnt 3y ago

Meanwhile back in reality, BTW is building a new battery factory and no new hydrogen-related factory. (Source: local press near BMW HQ, all paywalled. https://www.sueddeutsche.de/bayern/fnord-1.5802070 https://www.sueddeutsche.de/bayern/fnord-1.5802070 seems open now.)

JojoFatsani 3y ago

This headline is inaccurate.

seanmcdirmid 3y ago
The headline is inaccurate and is meant as pure click bait.
- iso8859-1 3y ago
  The article repeats the inaccuracy though.

krobele 3y ago

They should focus on straight forward hydrogen combustion engines. If Ev's survive then they should survive on their own tech battery advancements. Don't mix the two together. That's just silly

krobeler 3y ago

They should focus on straight forward hydrogen combustion engines. If Ev's survive then they should survive on their own tech battery advancements. Don't mix the two together. That's just silly

ephbit 3y ago
> They should focus on straight forward hydrogen combustion engines. Why would they? A combustion engine drive-train has an efficiency that's significantly lower than that of a fuel-cell EV drive-train. Combusting hydrogen in an ICE as opposed to oxidizing it in a fuelcell is just a waste of energy.