2028 BMW iX5 Hydrogen confirmed: German luxury brand’s first production fuel cell model will sit alongside ICE, PHEV and BEV powertrains

September 30, 2025September 28, 2025 John Mahoney 11831 Views bmw, iX5 Hydrogen

BMW has confirmed the next-generation X5 luxury SUV due in 2028 will offer a production hydrogen fuel cell powertrain as well petrol, diesel, plug-in hybrid and battery electric options.

The new fifth-generation X5 will include the first series production hydrogen-powered model from BMW and will feature the luxury brand’s latest third generation fuel cell technology.

BMW tested its second generation fuel cell tech in Australia in 2024 with two iX5 hydrogen models.

The 2028 production vehicle will be badged iX5 Hydrogen, while battery electric variants will simply be dubbed iX5. Orthodox ICE will continue to be known as X5.

“By launching the new BMW X5 with a choice of five drive system variants, we are once again demonstrating our leading position as a technology pioneer,” said Joachim Post, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Development at an BMW event in New York.

2028 BMW iX5 Hydrogen prototype on-test.

“Hydrogen has an essential part to play in global decarbonisation, which is why we are committed to driving the technology forward.”

Fresh photography issued in recent days of a prototype on-test reveal the next BMW X5 will adopt the Neue Klasse design language recently introduced by the second-generation BMW iX3 revealed at the Munich motor show.

Beneath the skin though, the new iX5 family will join other larger BMW models to stay on the CLAR architecture and not migrate to the bespoke Neue Klasse EV platform.

BMW third generation hydrogen fuel cell technology.

The iX5 Hydrogen is set to be powered by a third-generation fuel cell stack that has been developed in partnership with Toyota.

In the works since 2023, it features a powertrain around 25 per cent more compact than earlier stacks, while delivering a greater power density.

Other changes include a more efficient high-voltage control unit called the BMW Energy Master.

There’s no word how much power the 2028 BMW iX5 Hydrogen will produce but it’s understood engineers have been tasked with beating the 2023 FCEV prototype numbers.

It combined a 140kW stack with a 220kW rear motor for a total system power of around 295kW and a range around 504km.

Within the prototype, the next BMW iX5 will feature a huge 17.9-inch infotainment system and evolve the full-width digital instrument cluster and head-up display introduced with the iX3.

When it arrives in 2028 BMW iX5 Hydrogen will be the first production fuel-cell car ever sold by the brand despite its experiments with the technology dating back three decades.

While the other four powertrain choices would be logical options for Australia, our limited hydrogen refuelling infrastructure would make the fuel cell iX5 less likely to go on-sale here.