Hydrogen 7: first test drives by press

[EnI]

Road Testing BMW's Hydrogen 7

By Bruce Gain[image no longer available]| Also by this reporter
02:00 AM Nov, 13, 2006


BERLIN -- Jules Verne, in his 1874 novel The Mysterious Island, described hydrogen as an "inexhaustible source of heat and light." A little over 130 years later, BMW is testing the theory with an innovative internal combustion engine that burns the lightest element much like gasoline, only cleaner.


Wired News was invited to test-drive one of BMW's new Hydrogen 7 automobiles recently. It proved a serious step forward in using hydrogen as a potential energy source for cars, while showing defects that make the concept a clear work in progress.
BMW is the only major carmaker to bring a car with a hydrogen-combustion engine beyond the prototype stage.


The automaker's approach is markedly different than the more familiar concept of hydrogen-powered fuel cells, where energy is stored before it is converted into electricity. By contrast, BMW's Hydrogen 7 is powered by pumping hydrogen into a combustion engine and igniting it. The engine can burn both hydrogen and gasoline, and switches between the two at the flick of a switch.


Burning hydrogen is more efficient than converting it into electricity, making it the more practical choice for hydrogen-fueled cars now, according to BMW.
The automaker is taking that premise to the road with a limited test release next year. BMW said it will put 100 of the hydrogen models into circulation in the United States, Europe and Asia. The cars will be loaned to high-profile people, BMW says, such as celebrities and politicians. If the cars become sufficiently popular, BMW says it can go into full-scale production, without commenting how much the model will cost.


The test drive confirmed the vehicles are road-ready. But some major issues need to be worked out, particularly with acquiring and storing the liquid hydrogen fuel.
At 110 mph along the highway on the outskirts of Berlin the sedan handles much like the German luxury carmaker's flagship BMW 7 Series model, on which it is based. In total, the liquid hydrogen tank, heat exchangers and other components add an extra 550 pounds to the car's weight -- and you feel the extra load. However, performance was not drastically different than the 7 Series BMW.


When pushed, the 12-cylinder, 260-horsepower engine emits a high-pitched whine like that of the diesel version of the 7 Series. It is not exactly a speed demon, but it doesn't lack power; after pulling onto an exit ramp, I accelerated from zero to 62.5 mph with two adult passengers in less than 10 seconds.
The car switches from hydrogen to gas mode with the press of a button on the steering wheel. I heard a small click from behind the backseat without any change in my speed or acceleration along the highway.
BMW's first hydrogen-powered car has a lot to be excited about. The byproduct of the engine's combustion process is almost exclusively water vapor, which comes out of an exhaust pipe. However, some nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide are emitted, so the Hydrogen 7 is not a zero-emission car.


CO2 emissions are 1 percent of the maximum emission levels in the United States and Europe, while N2O levels are 30 percent and 2 percent of the maximum levels in those same regions, respectively, BMW says. A planned hydrogen-only model will further reduce N2O emissions to within 10 percent of the maximum levels in the United States, BMW says.


One major challenge is how to keep the hydrogen cooled to minus 253 degrees Celsius (minus 423 degrees Fahrenheit) so it remains in liquid form without boiling off. Despite the double-walled, stainless-steel tank that stores the liquid in high-vacuum conditions with aluminum reflective foil, the liquid hydrogen in the 8-kilogram fuel tank begins to boil after 17 hours if the car remains parked. The tank empties completely after 10 to 12 days.
During the test drive, I pulled over to a Total hydrogen filling station to tank up.


The BMW Hydrogen 7 holds approximately 8 kilograms of liquid hydrogen. The car consumes about 15 miles per kilogram for a total cruising range of 120 miles, BMW says. In gas mode, the car's 74-liter (19.5-gallon) gasoline tank offers a range of about 300 miles.
At $10.30 per kilogram, hydrogen fuel is no bargain, even in Europe, where gas prices are significantly higher than in the United States. Filling up a 74-liter gas tank in Germany with high-test gas costs about $123, which for a cruising range of 300 miles is a much better deal than $82.40 you'll pay to go 120 miles on hydrogen fuel. The price of hydrogen is astronomical compared to the $2.20 or so per gallon price in the United States. However, BMW representatives on hand for the car demonstration in Berlin last week said hydrogen pump prices should be significantly lower if production increases for use as car fuel.


Hydrogen's high flammability, compared to other fuel mixes, raises concern for many (especially for me while standing next to the fuel pumps). The Hindenburg and the Challenger both ran on hydrogen, although the fuel mix was not what triggered those disasters. According to BMW, the risks posed by hydrogen are at the very worst comparable to those of gas. At the fueling station, sensors will shut down fuel flow from the pumps if a leak is detected, while the car's engine and hydrogen gas flow will also stop in case of a puncture or leak, BMW says.


Hydrogen is primarily produced from natural gas, a process that generates more CO2 than gasoline car engines. However, solar, wind and hydroelectric generation of hydrogen and its extraction from biomass represent viable long-term options that promise negligible CO2 emission, BMW says.


The automaker concedes its Hydrogen 7 production car is just a start. The model's acceleration and mileage pale in comparison with many ethanol-fueled and gas-electric-hybrid models, such as the latest Lexus hybrid. Company engineers are working to introduce lower pressure in the fuel tank to limit how fast the liquid hydrogen boils off. And they're researching new materials for a lighter and less bulky fuel tank.
The dearth of fueling stations will hamper drivers who need to fill up in the middle of places like Kansas. For the 100 Hydrogen 7s in operation next year, BMW says hydrogen filling stations will be located in the vicinity of where the cars are loaned, albeit probably fewer than 12 worldwide in 2007. Hydrogen trucks will offer mobile fill-ups for the loaned cars, BMW says.


Ultimately, BMW engineers hope to develop an engine that offers acceleration and power comparable to any gasoline internal-combustion engine vehicle. To do that, BMW says it is developing a hydrogen-only internal-combustion engine that will produce 95 kilowatts of power per liter instead of the 32 kilowatts per liter now in the Hydrogen 7, with direct, cryogenic injection in a pure hydrogen tank. On a per-volume basis, cryogenic liquid hydrogen offers 75 percent more energy compared to hydrogen in a compressed gaseous state at 700 bars of pressure, BMW says.


"This will take some time," said Frank Ochmann, head of the Hydrogen 7 project. "We will have (this capability), but the question is when we make the decision to do it."



Source: WiredNews

 

[warot]

Re: Hydrogen 7: first test drive

Cool article... but it shows you that we aren't ready for this technology yet. I didn't know all the hydrogen burns off after only 17 hours of being parked. Not exactly convenient.

 

[Zonda]

Re: Hydrogen 7: first test drive

Awsome post! Thank you very much.

 

[bmer]

Re: Hydrogen 7: first test drive

Cool article... but it shows you that we aren't ready for this technology yet. I didn't know all the hydrogen burns off after only 17 hours of being parked. Not exactly convenient.

It doesn't burn off but starts to boil. The tank will get empty in 10-12 days assuming zero driving during that time.

 

[Centurion]

Re: Hydrogen 7: first test drive

Can it be used to make a cup of latte?

 

[bmer]

Re: Hydrogen 7: first test drive

Can it be used to make a cup of latte?

In the other thread Osna asked if it can be used for making tea... But for your question the answer is "no". There is however one extremely expensive espresso machine called Zonda (or something like that) and it is made by famous coffee machine emperor Don Pagani.

 

[Osnabrueck]

Re: Hydrogen 7: first test drive

If you're talkinga bout when Hydrogen boils it's at an increadably cold temperature - so no. (Thanks for remembering my tea bit bmer)

Great article. I'm very hopeful that Hydrogen technology, presumably along with extraction powered by nuclear energy, will pave the way for a zero-emmission future that doesn't suck.

 

[Centurion]

Re: Hydrogen 7: first test drive

In 100 years I hope that cars will use nothing but hydrogen and fuelcells.

In the other thread Osna asked if it can be used for making tea... But for your question the answer is "no". There is however one extremely expensive espresso machine called Zonda (or something like that) and it is made by famous coffee machine emperor Don Pagani.

Can the Zonda make espresso?

 

[bmer]

Re: Hydrogen 7: first test drive

If you're talkinga bout when Hydrogen boils it's at an increadably cold temperature - so no. (Thanks for remembering my tea bit bmer)

No problem, mate! Actually making tea could in theory be possible when the car runs on hydrogen. That's by using the 200 degree celsius water vapour (I think they said 200 C in Autobild test) coming out of the exhausts.

 

[Bruce]

"What is it?



"Ostensibly, a BMW 7-series – a 760iL, specifically – engineered to run on either ordinary unleaded petrol or liquefied hydrogen. When burning the latter, it emits only water vapour and trace amounts of nitrogen dioxide and harmful particulates. That, says BMW, makes it the world’s first super-low-emissions luxury vehicle, and a totally sustainable means of personal transport.



So what have Munich’s engineers done to this symbol of conspicuous consumption to turn it into a potential climate-saver? Well, surprisingly little. Externally, the Hydrogen 7 is identical to a long-wheelbase 7-series but for its 'Hydrogen' badging and slightly tweaked rear valance styling.

Under the bonnet is where you’d expect most of the hard work to have been done, but actually BMW hasn’t had to do that much to its 6.0-litre V12 to make it accept hydrogen as readily as it does unleaded. It runs a slightly lower compression ratio than the standard V12, has a hydrogen injection system and an aluminium-lined induction system specifically designed to deal with the fuel. Otherwise it’s unchanged, and knocks out a steady, if slightly underwhelming 256bhp whether it’s running on petrol or hydrogen.



Where you won’t fail to identify this Seven from an ordinary 760iL, however, is when lifting the bootlid. This is where BMW has accommodated the 165-litre aluminium tank necessary to store the liquid hydrogen for the engine, and that gives the car a 120-mile hydrogen range, on top of its 300-mile petrol range. The Hydrogen 7 does have a boot, but it’s greatly reduced in size – and there’s four inches less legroom in the back than in any other long-wheelbase Seven – another compromise made for the hydrogen tank.


So what's it like?
Once it’s started up, so well-insulated is this car’s engine that you really wouldn’t know it was turning over at all, let alone be able to identify the fuel it’s burning. On the road, it’s not the most convincing exponent of BMW’s "ultimate driving machine" philosophy, and that’s because it weighs 250kg more than standard car as well as being less powerful. Performance is acceptable, though; 0-62mph taking just over nine seconds. Top speed is limited to 143mph.



BMW’s real achievement here is one of refinement rather than outright performance. When running on hydrogen, the Hydrogen 7 delivers its power just as freely and responsively as it does on petrol – and that’s a considerable success when you consider that hydrogen burns 10 times as quickly as petrol, and is therefore much more difficult to control during combustion.

You can switch from one fuel to another while the engine is running at the touch of a button on the steering wheel; there’s a momentary interruption in drive, but nothing more intrusive than a gearchange might otherwise be. And although the engine takes on a more hard-edged induction note when it’s consuming hydrogen, it remains as refined as most diesel engines, even at high revs.

Should I buy one?
Well, you can’t. BMW is only making 100 Hydrogen 7s, and will retain ownership of every one. If you’re a forward-thinking captain of industry or an environmentally-aware celebrity, you might be offered the chance to lease one for a few months – but the rest of us will have to continue to drive fossil-fuelled cars for the time being.

That's not such a bad thing, of course, because only a handful of filling stations in continental Europe sell the liquefied hydrogen needed to run the car. Even if they did stock the right stuff, it'd cost you three times as much to run your BMW on it right now as it would ordinary unleaded. Worse still, since that hydrogen would probably be extracted from natural gas rather than from renewable sources, you'd actually be doing more harm to the environment by doing so than you would by burning the equivalent petrol in your tank.

Nevertheless, BMW should still be congratulated. The Hydrogen 7 is a fully homologated and type-approved production car; as such it's been put through every relevant crash and stress test, and proves that hydrogen-powered cars can be made safe for our roads, produced in the same factories as any other car, and can provide levels of performance and refinement that are within touching distance of their petrol-powered siblings. The rest of the world may not be ready to accept it, but BMW certainly seems ready and able to make a near zero-emissions car.

Matt Saunders"

How much?
Price when new TBA
Price as tested £150,000

How fast?
0-62mph 9.5 sec
Max Speed 143 mph
How thirsty?
Combined 20.3 mpg
CO2 emissions 332 g/km

How big?
Weight 2460 kg

Engine
Layout V12, 5972 cc
Max power 256 bhp at 5100 rpm
Max torque 287 lb ft at 4300 rpm

 

[PanterroR]

How much?
Price when new TBA
Price as tested £150,000

How fast?
0-62mph 9.5 sec
Max Speed 143 mph
How thirsty?
Combined 20.3 mpg
CO2 emissions 332 g/km

How big?
Weight 2460 kg

Engine
Layout V12, 5972 cc
Max power 256 bhp at 5100 rpm
Max torque 287 lb ft at 4300 rpm

Not interested, thank you!

 

[Giannis]

i am in a hurry, so two questions for me.

How much does its fuel (whatever it is ) per 100km?
and BTW, 9.5secs for 0-100 is SLOW for a bimmer...

hmm, i forgot the second question...

 

[Deleted member 25]

BMW says it is developing a hydrogen-only internal-combustion engine that will produce 95 kilowatts of power per liter instead of the 32 kilowatts per liter now in the Hydrogen 7, with direct, cryogenic injection in a pure hydrogen tank. On a per-volume basis, cryogenic liquid hydrogen offers 75 percent more energy compared to hydrogen in a compressed gaseous state at 700 bars of pressure, BMW says.

That would be a great achievement, just imagine a smaller car with such an engine.

 

[EnI]

I was told today Al Gore & Arnold Schwarzenegger are among 26 people from US that would get Hydrogen 7 in use.

 

[klier]

Logical. Al Gore made this movie (imo he should have done something when he had the power as a vice president but that is another story), and Arnie is the boss of the state that tries best to ruin the planet as fast as possible.

Not interested, thank you!

Me neither, but you got to admit that the technology is mind-blowing.

BMW is the first to actually offer this, and it will evolve and get better.

 

[Bruce]

From AutoWeek, not sure if it has been posted

Orignal link here


By KEVIN A. WILSON

AutoWeek | Published 11/29/06, 8:18 am et

AT A GLANCE:2007 BMW HYDROGEN 7
AVAILABLE: Mid-2007
PRICE: Only for loan to select drivers
DRIVETRAIN: Bi-fuel hydrogen-gasoline 6.0-liter, 260-hp, 288-lb-ft V12; rwd, six-speed automatic
CURB WEIGHT: 5285 lbs
0 TO 60 MPH: 9.5 seconds (mfr. est.)
FUEL MILEAGE (EU CYCLE): 16.9 mpg gasoline/17.25 miles per kilogram hydrogen




"Wanted: Drivers willing and able to promote hydrogen cars and infrastructure, to drive a BMW 7 Series for up to six months. Fee: None; rental contract will detail obligations. Apply at www.clubofpioneers.com

We suspect BMW will find far more people interested in that offer than it can accommodate with the 100 copies of its dual-fuel 7 Series that it begins putting on the road next year.

At the push of a button on the steering wheel, the car’s 6.0-liter V12 engine burns either hydrogen or gasoline. There is little discernible difference—the engine makes a somewhat coarser sound on hydrogen, because of faster combustion in the cylinders—and power delivery is the same 260 hp in either mode. To make the transition as transparent as possible, the gasoline mode is detuned, which also helps stretch fuel economy on this big, heavy luxury sedan.

The Hydrogen 7 reaches 60 mph in 9.5 seconds and has a cruising range of 125 miles on its eight kilograms of hydrogen and another 310 miles on the 19.5-gallon tank of gasoline. Emissions from hydrogen are virtually none aside from water vapor—in fact, the car always starts on hydrogen (a small reserve is retained for this purpose even after the tank is nominally empty) to eliminate cold-start emissions. In use, there’s no carbon monoxide or dioxide, a barely detectable trace of hydrocarbons due to the burning of a small amount of cylinder lubricant, and the only real concern is oxides of nitrogen (NOx). The latter are strictly controlled by a lean combustion strategy and the usual three-way catalyst.

That simple description belies a lot of complex engineering and 20 years of research into the use of hydrogen in internal combustion engines. BMW emphasizes that it’s not “testing” these cars—they’re full production models intended for regular use, though so closely monitored that they’re wired to send a report back to the folks at BMW headquarters every four hours. (Don’t worry—they’re watching engine operations and the hydrogen fueling system. Munich won’t know where you are unless you ask to have that tracked, too.)

We drove one in and around Berlin, including a refueling stop at a Total station, and aside from the reduced power output compared with a standard 438-hp 760Li, it’s a real BMW with all that implies about engineering, build quality, safety, handling and luxury features.

Before we get into how it works, though, take a moment to wonder why. That is, while other automakers develop hydrogen fuel cell cars, why is Munich burning it in an internal combustion engine? First, unlike the fuel cell, internal combustion is a mature technology, without any worries about reliability, durability or manufacturing technology.

Also important, when the hydrogen delivery infrastructure is in its infancy, it can be made to run on either fuel so there’s no question about the ability to complete a long journey. And, if it’s not quite a “zero” emissions vehicle when running on hydrogen, it’s close. Particularly in Europe, with its aggressive targets on reducing CO2 emissions, the technology holds promise to deliver benefits sooner than awaiting the maturation of fuel cell development. And it provides incentive to build hydrogen infrastructure.

On to the car: Like everyone else, BMW faced the considerable challenge of storing hydrogen, compounded by the need to also have a gasoline system. Where Honda and GM have chosen to compress gaseous hydrogen at 10,000 psi for its fuel cell cars, BMW opts for the more space-efficient liquid form, stored in a large, heavily insulated tank. It sits just above the gas tank, under the parcel shelf behind the passenger seat. The long-wheelbase chassis allows this installation while still providing interior space equivalent to that of a standard, short-wheelbase 7 Series (instead of the normal 760Li’s 4.5 inches of extra legroom, there’s only one inch, and it’s a strict four-seater—the rear center armrest no longer folds up). There’s adequate, though hardly ample, trunk volume of 7.9 cubic feet. Because of the added weight, the rear suspension incorporates heavy-duty and aluminum elements originally developed for the armored-car version.

Hydrogen produced by oil companies is typically stored in its liquid state at 20 degrees Kelvin—or -253 degrees Celsius, i.e., real damned cold. It’s transported that way in tanker trucks for delivery to stations (there are five in Europe now). The Total station in Berlin where we refueled has a separate building where hydrogen is stored as liquid in an insulated tank. There’s no active refrigeration on-site, so as hydrogen boils off into its gaseous state, it is captured and compressed for delivery to vehicles that use it that way.

BMW also has built five mobile fueling stations that can deliver gaseous or liquid hydrogen where needed. Three of these trucks will be in Europe, two in the U.S., so users of the Hydrogen 7 need not necessarily be within range of the handful of such stations. If needed, BMW can also provide a home refueling system.

Think of the car’s hydrogen tank as a giant thermos bottle. It’s 1.2 inches thick but has the insulating value of a layer of Styrofoam 56 feet thick. BMW boasts that if you put boiling-hot coffee in it, it would be 80 days before it cooled enough to drink. Still, super-cold liquid hydrogen boils off. There’s no loss if you drive it again within 17 hours, but if you leave it parked at the airport for nine days, you’re gonna be out of hydrogen when you get back. The tank contains the gas above the liquid until a certain pressure (determined by liquid volume and external air pressure) is reached, and then it’s released and sent into a catalyst under the rear bumper where it is burned off—you might see a puddle of condensed water vapor under the car.

If an accident violates the tank insulation resulting in rapid boil-off, there are pressure release mechanisms (pipes route through the C-pillars to a rooftop vent). BMW tested its tank to extremes, immersing it in flames for 70 minutes, firing bullets into it, etc., and the strict German TUV testing procedures establish that it is “at least as safe” as a gasoline tank.

The filling procedure is more complex than for gasoline, but easy enough. A dashboard button is pressed, and once the system is satisfied the engine is off, the transmission is in park and the e-brake is set, it releases the transparent hydrogen fill flap on the right C-pillar. The hose, much bulkier and somewhat heavier than a gasoline pump hose, is then attached with a sealing process akin to that used in racing pit stops. Once the connection is made, it’s all automatic, including protection against static electrical discharge. BMW says filling an empty tank takes less than eight minutes. Our half-empty tank took just less than six minutes.

After that, the engine operation seems simple enough. When it runs on gasoline, it uses a direct-injection system that delivers fuel directly into the combustion chamber. Push the H2 button on the wheel and electronics manage a near-instant transition to a separate hydrogen fuel system with injectors in the intake manifold. The hydrogen injectors are much larger than gasoline injectors, and their installation in the manifold raises the top of the engine enough that this model needs its own hood with a taller powerdome.

Inside, the dashboard includes an electronic fuel readout that indicates both the levels and remaining range on each fuel and an “H2” light that illuminates when you’re in that mode.

The car weighs nearly 5300 pounds, so it doesn’t feel like a great performer with only 260 hp, but it’s not a slug, either. A sensitive backside familiar with the standard 760Li would notice the center of gravity feels a little higher, and regular autobahn users will note that top speed is a mere 143 mph vs. the standard car’s 155.

If you want to get in line to drive one, the website, www.clubofpioneers.com, goes active later this month, says BMW. Or you could contact your dealer—we suspect loyal customers will be near the top of the list when the cars start arriving next spring. Preference will go, too, to people and institutions that BMW decides have the kind of influence that could promote the development of the necessary hydrogen infrastructure—the sort of people likely to be attracted to a 7 Series, anyway. Getting the influencers on board is much of the point of the exercise "

 

[Deutsch]

Slightly off topic, but does anyone else notice how the E65/66 is starting to show it's age in the face lift design???

 

[PanterroR]

Slightly off topic, but does anyone else notice how the E65/66 is starting to show it's age in the face lift design???

In certain pictures yes, but overall no! In any case, the new one already hit the roads, so you won't wait too long if this one is no longer interesting to you...

 

[Bruce]

Top Gear's review;

Orignal link

"With everyone chest-beating over climate change and automotive corporations getting various degrees of needle over emissions, it seems that the timing couldn't be better for BMW to pop up with a hydrogen combustion engine - housed here in the new 7-Series.

Of course, we've seen BMW's commitment to future fuelling for over a decade, but now the company has seen fit to produce a hydrogen-capable car that looks and goes like a regular Seven, and even to lease it out to a select few. The point being that this looks and feels like a production car, rather than an experimental platform.

The Hydrogen 7 is basically a V12 760Li adapted to contain the necessary pipework to combust hydrogen in its naturally aspirated engine. Thus, as well as a standard petrol fuel tank, you also get a rather large hydrogen tank finagled into the back, cutting legroom on this long-wheelbase chassis to just an inch over a regular Seven.

Uncovered, the hydrogen tank looks like a small aluminium boiler lying prone just under the C-pillar. Liquid hydrogen needs to be kept cool and under pressure, and the tank has a twin-skin construction that uses space-age tin foil and glass fibre, plus 30mm of vacuum to provide insulation equivalent to 17 metres of polystyrene.

Despite BMW's protestations, this car feels different on the move; the usually brawny-but-silky V12 suddenly seems anaemic with just 260bhp at its disposal (the price of hydrogen combustion is horsepower) and the extra bulk to haul about - the extra tank, etc, adding over 200kg.

BMW's engineers have done a fine job of keeping a creditable 47/53 weight split front to back, but it still feels strange through tight corners, especially as we're used to the normal Seven being sprightly for its size.

You might not notice the engine's differences at town speeds, but accelerate hard and you get both a lack of expected power and a surfeit of diesel-style aural clatter. Running on hydrogen, the Seven hits the benchmark in 9.5 seconds and on to an electronically limited 143mph.

But saying that, the Hydrogen Seven otherwise performs impeccably as a large saloon, with none of the weirdness of other future fuellers.

To be fair, BMW is not saying that this car is the magic bullet. The hydrogen tank only allows for a 125-mile range, hence the other 400-mile tankful of petrol, and of course there's an issue because hydrogen isn't readily available. But it opens up the debate. The Hydrogen 7 might not be the future, but it helps us point the way.

Tom Ford "