MUNICH, Germany ? BMW intends to start serial production of a hydrogen-burning 7-Series executive car within two years, the world's largest premium automaker said on Tuesday.

"We will present such a vehicle to the public in less than two years," a spokesman said, confirming media reports.

BMW had said last year its hydrogen-fueled cars, which emit only water vapor, would make their debut in 2010.

BMW intends to build a few hundred such cars at first. They will be able to switch between burning standard gasoline and hydrogen so that drivers will not be left stranded while the infrastructure to deliver hydrogen is built up.

The space that two fuel tanks take up means only the 7-Series will offer the hydrogen package at first. BMW's long-term goal is to offer hydrogen motors in all its cars.

BMW unveiled the world's fastest hydrogen-powered car at the 2004 Paris auto show.

Dubbed the H2R, it can exceed 300 kilometres (185 miles) per hour and reaches 100 km per hour from a standing start in around six seconds.

While BMW is developing fuel-cell driven cars as well, it says it is concentrating on the combustion engine because the sum total of its features and characteristics offers the largest number of advantages and benefits all in one.

old news... as many will tell you , its too little, too late

So what would have been "enough, in time...."??

ABC

No, I would not buy one, and they cannot even be baught, only leased!

If I would be a millionare I would lease one!

the performance figures you quoted relate to the car in petrol mode. The engine used is the 760's V12. When using the Hydrogen mode, the 0-62mp/h figure drops to something like 13 seconds or similar.

Their biggest problem for the field test is that the range on Hydrogen is not huge and there are only six stations where you can fill up with Hydrogen in the whole of Germany at the moment. The filling also takes ages.

1999 when they debuted the 750h on the old 7 series platform :think:

and never sold it

Trouble is, hydrogen cars produce much much more pollution of their petrol equivalent. The difference is that the energy used to produce the useable hydrogen it is pumped out by a power station in someone elses' backyard.

I remember that article on that 750. If I remember correctly it was slow as hell or something I dont know. Thats crazy that something in 1999 still hasnt materialized into production if it is such a savior to our planet.

i think that is a highly simplified and debatable statement...if done correctly, meaning the most technologically advance production methods employed, it would be much less damaging to all inhabitants of this planet if hydrogen was used in lieu of petrol based fuels....

id surely buy one if it was a real alternative (which it currently is not) to gasoline (petrol)

I don't think hydrogen is alternative to gasoline really. Why build another distribution network for hydrogen when electrical network is already in place and with Li batteries (and some new, air-something batteries) one can have elestrical car. Tesla is selling fast roadster for $92K and is planning to build a sedan for $60K in the next year or two. 100% electrical sedan (+ maybe very small gasoline engine that can charge battery in case there is no outlet around) is the future.