Following a recently-signed agreement with Toyota to work together on green technologies, BMW is reportedly on the brink of doing a deal with General Motors that would allow it access to the US giant’s long-standing work on fuel cells.
A recent report in Germany’s Wirtschaftswoche says BMW’s contribution would include funding to assist GM’s ongoing fuel cell research.
The report also said both companies, when asked for confirmation of the rumours, were reticent. GM declined any comment, while BMW merely said it is currently in dialogue with GM on “various future technologies.”
Many experts agree that current “eco” technologies such as hybrids and even pure-electric EVs are stop-gap measures. Hydrogen-fed fuel cells are viewed by many as the ideal emission-free technology for the future.
As a resource, hydrogen has many advantages over EVs fed by mains electricity, which is often generated by coal-fired generators. Difficulties such as efficient in-vehicle hydrogen storage methods are still presenting challenges.
BMW has done plenty of research into the application of hydrogen, but applied as a replacement for regular fuel in vehicles such as the Hydrogen 7 that was built in limited numbers and loaned out to high-profile personalities and business leaders as a green PR program. A fuel cell technology-sharing agreement would be the missing piece in the puzzle the company wouldn't divulge to motoring.com.au during the M5 international launch in October.
Working together with GM on fuel cells would seem to form a nice synergy with a view towards the long term. It is a lot different to the Toyota deal, which appears mainly focussed on bringing BMW’s diesel expertise to a company with little experience in mass-production oilers for passenger vehicles. At the announcement of the BMW-Toyota arrangement it was indicated however that battery technology would be a focus of development, as would “clean” bio diesel and hydrogen.
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