BMW prepares plants for fuel cell systems.

Alternative Drives BMW Prepares Plants for Fuel Cell Systems

2025-09-03 From Thomas Günnel | Translated by AI 2 min Reading Time

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BMW is preparing its plants for the production of a fuel cell system. Initial components are to be produced in mid-2026; a series car from 2028.

From the year 2028, BMW plans to launch a car with a fuel cell drive on the market.(Image: Jonas Rattel) — From the year 2028, BMW plans to launch a car with a fuel cell drive on the market.
(Image: Jonas Rattel)

From the year 2028, BMW plans to offer a series-production fuel cell car. The Steyr plant is currently preparing for the series production of fuel cell systems. Competence centers in Munich and Steyr are also building prototypes. Additional components for the drive come from Landshut.

The third generation of the fuel cell system is, according to BMW, a quarter smaller than the previous one. The automaker mentions higher power density and efficiency. BMW is working together with Toyota on the drive system. According to the automakers, it is suitable for use in commercial vehicles and passenger cars.

These plants supply the components

The fuel cell systems will be supplied by the Steyr plant starting in 2028. In Steyr, BMW manufactures electric, diesel, and petrol engines. Currently, the automaker is setting up test stands and production facilities and adapting the infrastructure for the production of fuel cell systems.

The people at the Landshut plant manufacture components for fuel cell vehicles. From the end of May 2026, BMW will establish new production facilities for the series production of the hydrogen-specific "Energy Master," which controls the energy supply in the vehicle. Prototypes of this Energy Master will be delivered from mid-2026 by the Dingolfing plant, located just a few kilometers away. This plant has already produced prototypes for the control systems of vehicles of the Neue Klasse.

The housing and the media pressure plate are also produced by employees in Landshut. The plant has already supplied components for the pilot fleet of the iX5 Hydrogen. The media pressure plate channels hydrogen and oxygen to the fuel cell stack and seals the stack housing gas- and watertight.

Hydrogen at BMW

In 2014, BMW used the first generation of the fuel cell drive in the 535iA, supplied by Toyota. In the current pilot fleet of the iX5 Hydrogen, BMW installed the second generation – a BMW in-house development. The individual fuel cells are supplied by Toyota.

Employees are currently working on this.

Currently, people in prototype production are focusing on developing and securing assembly and testing processes—for the components and systems required for operating the fuel cells. These include, among others, the cooling system, hydrogen, and air subsystems. In the long term, this will be followed by industrialization, quality assurance, and scalability.

The prototypes serve the development of the operating strategy and for validation at the system and vehicle level. The goal is the series maturity of fuel cell technology for the model in the year 2028.

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Date: 08.12.2025

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