Both BMW and Audi are developing new hdrogen-powered cars alongside their battery-powered ones as the use of fossil fuels as a means of propulsion declines.
They join the likes of Toyota, Honda and Hyundia in their quest to find the best option for an alternative fuel source.
This is from Reuters today:
And this was in Auto Express in December:
BMW are not totally convinced that Electric vehicles are the way to go.
I talked to BMW Board Member for Purchasing and Supply, Dr Andreas Wendt, and the Vice President for Sustainability and Mobility, Dr Thomas Becker, about BMWâs plans for e-mobility and new energy vehicles over the coming decade.
One of the things that Dr Becker stressed to me was that just four European markets make up around 70% of BMWâs European electric car sales â Germany (obviously), the UK, France, and the Netherlands.
Dr Becker argues that the locations of its key markets have greatly influenced its choices, saying that the Mini will be 100% an EV by 2030, fitting the urban focus of these four countries. Unlike Volkswagen, however, BMW is also continuing to develop hydrogen-powered vehicles. According to Dr Becker, this is because South Korea is a more important market than (for example) Italy for BMW, and South Korea is investing heavily in hydrogen infrastructure. Dr Becker also doesnât see that a 5-series car aimed at professionals driving very long journeys is going to be 100% electric anytime soon, at least until the electric infrastructure is in place, although the company has a titanic 1,000-hp electric M5 allegedly in the works, and thereâs an all-electric regular 5-series planned for 2023 too.
Dr Wendt also wanted to stress that BMWâs approach to sustainability wasnât just focused on what comes out of the tailpipe, but the greenness of the whole production process. When EV is compared to EV, the tailpipe emissions will be zero in both cases, he argues, so it will be the entire system, from ore mine, to electricity supply mix, to the full vehicle lifecycle that counts. Dr Becker argues that this will be one of the ways its forthcoming i4 will differentiate itself, with a totally transparent lifecycle.
What is clear is that BMW is still not expecting the EV revolution to happen overnight. Dr Wendt reckons that by 2030 only 50% of new cars will be fully electric, which means the other 50% wonât be. Some of that non-EV 50% will be important markets for BMW, which might even include the USA at its current slow rate of EV adoption compared to Europe and China, although Joe Bidenâs green focus could change that. Dr Becker expects plug-in hybrids to continue to play a big role for many years to come as a result. In other words, while BMW is taking EVs seriously again, it doesnât expect them to be the sole vehicle type anytime soon, if ever.
I would prefer to see hydrogen used in conventional spark ignition engines where a simple conversion is all that is needed together with a hydrogen fuel tank, but I suppose that is all too simple and therefore rejected as not a huge cash generator for the manufacturers.
@LongDriver , l agree, hydrogen is the simplest way as far as using existing
manufacturing facilities is concerned , but the draw back to that is the
fuel manufacturing and distribution infrastructure that will be needed to
back this up ??
Plus, the present infrastructure , such as forges to make the crankshafts and
foundries to cast the engine parts are all energy and pollution intensive
processes ??
Whereas manufacture of electric motors etc are much less so ??
On the plus side for hydrogen usage is the fact that batteries are still suspect
on longevity issues and disposal of the batteries once their life is over !!
The infrastructure required to recharge the batteries also goes against
the EV option ??
Donkeyman! 
I can see us going back to the horse and cart at this rateâŠ
I canât, weâd be up to our waist in horse shit if we did.
One of the problems the internal combustion engine solved was the disposal of horse waste from cities
Bruce, someone has already thought of recycling horse manure into fuel. Win:win
âThe manure produced daily by two horses can generate heat for a single family home for a year,â
Nah, horses produce methane and thatâs bad apparently.
Think of your roses.
The UK has this to help promote the technology:
http://www.ukhfca.co.uk/
" Our goal is to make the UK the best place for hydrogen and fuel cells across all applications and opportunities."
@Bruce , Havenât you heard Brucy, we are up to our necks in shit over here
already, ( horse or otherwise!!)
Donkeyman! 
@AnnieS , l think you should research your figures for the daily production
of only two horses producing enough heat to supply a family for a year
Annie !!
And could you come back to us with your findings ??
Donkeyman!
LOL . . horse & fart rolling along every street. My Nan used to nip out with tâbucket nâshovel to collect all the âgold-dustâ for tâveggies lmao.
What? 
So did I until about 25 years ago, my area was very rural and you often got horses being ridden in the street, my opposite neighbour used to shoo them off his verge onto the road. the people next door used to have their horses in the back yard occasionally much to the delight of my kids.
Never see any now as the area has expanded.
Should we be using methane as a fuel then?
I was quoting from the Irish times article DM. Someone called Anssi Paalanen who runs the company converting horse sheets into fuel seems to think it possible.
Hi
We already are.
âCutting methane emissions is the fastest opportunity we have to immediately slow the rate of global warming, even as we decarbonize our energy systems.â âMethane has more than 80 times the warming power of carbon dioxide over the first 20 years after it reaches the atmosphere.â
That would be a ânoâ then and it might explain why the move to alternative fuels.
Hydrogen cells only produce water for example.
Iâve been saying for quite a while now that converting your petrol powered car or van to burn LPG (methane) has to be the way to go. Itâs Âœ the price of petrol and the exhaust is cleaner too.
