BMW ix 5 Hydrogen Protection VR6 Concept Launched

The BMW ix 5 Hydrogen Protection VR6 Concept, the world's first internationally certified bulletproof security vehicle with a hydrogen fuel cell drive system, further demonstrates BMW's extensive use of hydrogen fuel cells and advanced armor protection technology. The BMW ix 5 Hydrogen Protection VR6 Concept is the perfect combination of sustainable green mobility and the need for a special protective safety vehicle.

More than 40 years of experience in the development of bullet-proof safety vehicles, providing the ultimate in safety protection

The BMW ix 5 Hydrogen Protection VR6 Concept is based on the BMW X5 Protection VR6, the world's best-selling luxury SAV bulletproof security vehicle. The groundbreaking combination of innovative electric drive technology and armor protection technology with the proportions, passability, and versatility of the BMW X family models. With its integrated armor protection technology, the BMW ix 5 Hydrogen Protection VR6 Concept achieves a VR6 protection class that meets the standards customized by the Association of Testing Authorities for Offensive Protection Materials and Designs (VPAM).

The vehicle's passenger compartment incorporates body protection made of high-strength steel and approximately 30 mm thick protective glass, with thickened and encrypted gaps in core areas such as the doors, body, and luggage compartment. The vehicle can withstand fire from most of the world's light weapons, such as the AK-47, and can prevent penetration attacks from grenades such as HG85. The armored passenger compartment can withstand the lateral impact of up to 15 kg of TNT bomb blast within a range of 4 meters.

The perfect blend of bulletproof safety features and sustainable mobility, creating a new concept of hydrogen-powered bulletproof safety vehicles

The BMW ix 5 Hydrogen Protection VR6 Concept uses hydrogen fuel cell technology in combination with the fifth-generation BMW e Drive electric drive system. In particular, the drive system uses hydrogen as fuel and drives the vehicle through a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen, with no exhaust emissions other than water vapor. The electric motor is based on the fifth-generation BMW e-Drive electric drive technology used in the innovative BMW iX, and the high-powered battery located above the motor can be recharged using a highly efficient energy recovery system.

For this special drive system, the BMW ix 5 Hydrogen Protection VR6 Concept uses a total safety concept that combines special underbody protection technology with the hydrogen fuel cell drive system to fully guarantee the safety of the drive system. The underside of the vehicle is specially designed to prevent damage to the lower part of the vehicle from grenades exploding underneath the vehicle. The hydrogen tank and its valve system are sealed by a special bottom protection device. At the same time, the protection device is lightened to give the vehicle the maximum possible ground clearance and to ensure good passability.

The BMW ix 5 Hydrogen Protection VR6 Concept was also subjected to blast impact testing under the supervision of a government firearms test center, where the degree of deformation of the underbody protection device was measured and compared to the results of previous simulations. Computer scans examined the vehicle's hydrogen storage tanks and underbody protection panels with no cracks, delamination, or hidden fractures.

As the world's first hydrogen-powered safety vehicle, the BMW ix 5 Hydrogen Protection VR6 Concept fully demonstrates that hydrogen fuel cell vehicles can be effectively combined with safety protection technology to safeguard their occupants. At the same time, it also perfectly illustrates BMW's technological advantages in the field of electric mobility. In terms of electrification, the BMW Group will launch the "New Generation" model series from 2025 onwards, setting new benchmarks in digitalization and electrification, and raising sustainability to an unprecedented level. The hydrogen fuel cell technology may become a new member of BMW Group's new energy portfolio, providing solutions for green mobility for more customers worldwide.