Next-Gen BMW X5 to be Offered with Five Different Powertrains, Including a Hydrogen Fuel Cell Option

The next-generation BMW X5 will be offered with a choice of five different powertrains, including a hydrogen fuel cell variant, which is likely to be sold in select European markets at least. 

Expected for release in 2028, the iX5 Hydrogen variant will be the first mass-produced hydrogen fuel cell model from the brand, joined in the range by petrol, diesel, plug-in hybrid and battery electric powertrain options, which are slated for a 2026 unveiling. 

The hydrogen-powered X5’s release forms part of BMW’s HyMos initiative (Hydrogen Mobility at Scale), which promotes the development of hydrogen infrastructure in metropolitan areas, with initial implementation in Germany and France. 

BMW has previously tested hydrogen fuel cell technology, first with a 535 prototype in 2014 and then in the outgoing G05-generation X5, with a pilot fleet of less than 100 cars.

The iX5 Hydrogen pilot fleet used BMW’s second-generation hydrogen powertrain, jointly developed with Toyota, producing 295kW, with a driving range of 504km on the WLTP cycle and a refuelling time of between three and four minutes. 

BMW has also experimented with combustion hydrogen powertrains as early as 1979 with a modified E12 BMW 520/4. 

The new iX5 Hydrogen will be powered by BMW’s updated hydrogen drive system, and while output specifications are yet to be officially confirmed, the fuel cell system will be 25% smaller than its predecessor and the powertrain is claimed to be even more efficient. 

Images of the camouflaged prototype revealed by the brand indicate the new X5 will adopt the Neue Klasse styling language as seen on the recently unveiled iX3. However, while visually similar to the iX3, the new X5 is not expected to use the same platform, instead riding on the existing Cluster Architecture (CLAR). 

Currently available in Australia as a petrol or diesel mild-hybrid or as a plug-in hybrid, the X5 is a significant volume seller for BMW in Australia, ranking as the brand’s third-highest-selling model in year-to-date sales figures as of the end of August 2025, behind only the X3 and the X1, according to data published by VFACTS. 

While BMW is yet to confirm which powertrain options will be sold locally, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are exceedingly rare in Australia. Just 10 hydrogen fuel cell vehicles were sold in Australia throughout the entirety of 2024, with only 2 sold during 2025 thus far, according to data published by the Australian Automobile Association. 

Official details, including pricing, specifications, and an Australian release date for the new BMW X5, are yet to be confirmed.