BMW has started pre-series production of the Energy Master control unit for its upcoming BMW iX5 Hydrogen at the company’s plant in Landshut.
The automaker also said it has brought a second production line online for the battery-electric version of the same control unit as part of preparations for broader electrified vehicle production.
BMW plans to launch the iX5 Hydrogen in 2028.
The Energy Master functions as the central control unit for the vehicle’s high-voltage system, managing energy and data flows as well as power distribution for the electric drivetrain and onboard electrical systems.
In the hydrogen-powered iX5, a modified version of the control unit is integrated into BMW’s Hydrogen Flat Storage system and links the fuel cell, high-voltage battery and electric drive motors.
“Our ambition for the BMW iX5 Hydrogen is clear: a genuine BMW, with sheer driving pleasure,” said Josef Hochreiter, vice president of hydrogen vehicles at BMW Group.
BMW said the iX5 Hydrogen will use a newly developed hydrogen storage concept designed to deliver a driving range of up to 750 kilometers while remaining compatible with the company’s sixth-generation high-voltage battery technology.
The project has received €191 million in support from the Federal Ministry of Transport through the IPCEI Hy2Move funding programme, along with an additional €82 million from the state of Bavaria.
BMW is developing the Gen3 fuel cell system used in the vehicle jointly with Toyota Motor.
Series production of the fuel cell system is scheduled to begin at BMW’s plant in Steyr in 2028, the company said.
The project forms part of BMW’s broader strategy to expand alternative drivetrain technologies alongside battery-electric vehicles as automakers continue investing in hydrogen mobility applications.