Hydrogen’s latest rebuttal against the dominant paradigm comes in the form of a partnership between two carmaking juggernauts: BMW and Toyota. Like virtually every other carmaker on the planet, the two have tried their hand at hydrogen before—from BMW’s curious V-12-equipped Hydrogen 7, to Toyota’s remarkably normal, fuel cell-powered Mirai.
BMW has been defending hydrogen for years, while continuing to further its full battery-electric agenda through new models like the iX, i4, and i7. Meanwhile, Toyota has pioneered volume hybrid gas-electric drivetrains with the sales tsunami that began with the Prius. The anticipated 2025 ramp up may come as a surprise to hydrogen skeptics, but critics should note that the Bavarian brand’s past collaborations with Toyota on the Z4 and Supra were mutually beneficial, both from a creative and business perspective.