In 2016, the electric BMW i3 is to get a new modification powered by hydrogen.
The reason why the Bavarian company decided to take this step remains unknown. But it is not for nothing they cooperate with Toyota. In 2013, they singed a partnership agreement in the field of developing fuel cell powerplants, a new type of batteries. Now it’s time to implement the new technology.
Toyota will launch production of the first hydrogen-powered model in 2015. Mirai — the name of a new Toyota vehicle — will be fitted with fuel cell powerplant delivering 136 hp. The energy for the electric motor will be generated as a result of the chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen and water will be coming from the “exhaust” pipe. Yes, you’ve read it right, just regular water. The price of a hydrogen-powered vehicle will start at around €51,000. It is unclear whether it will be similar to the hydrogen-powered BMW i3 but the price for the Bavarian premiere has not been calculated either.
At the moment, the standard BMW i3 comes with a 170-hp electric motor, one-speed transmission and a 22 kilowatt-hour lithium ion battery pack. The price of the model starts at €35,000 and it should be able to travel 160 km on a single charge.
