COULD BMW BE THE FIRST TO MAKE FCEVS TRULY VIABLE?

GLANCE AT THE picture above and you'd be forgiven for thinking this was a new combustion engine, but although it is an engine of sorts, it's actually BMW's third-generation fuel cell system. Due to enter series production in 2028, it will be "a milestone in automotive history", says BMW, and "the first-ever series production fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) to be offered by a global premium manufacturer".

- JESSE CROSSE

It may be the first from a premium manufacturer but other FCEV makers include partner and fuel cell development veteran Toyota, which launched the Mirai in 2014 and started developing FCEVs in 1992.

There have been others too, and although they were only available for use in trials, they proved viable, such as the Mercedes A-Class-based Necar 4, which was launched in 1999 as the first road-legal fuel cell car, and the 2002 Honda FCX-V4. Both, along with many others since, were highly finished, excellent to drive and plausible cars, but here we are a quarter of a century later still waiting for the magic to happen.