BMW iX5 Hydrogen Gasoline Cell EVs Launched in South Africa

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South Africa is the world’s largest producer of platinum group metals. Anglo American Platinum is the world’s main main producer of Platinum Group Metals (PGMs). Platinum is utilized in a wide range of purposes, together with auto catalytic converters, gas cells, air and water purification items, coronary heart pacemakers, pc screens, laborious disks, and fertilizers. Because the transition to battery-electric autos accelerates in could components of the world, there will likely be a drop in demand for catalytic converters which can be wanted for emissions functions in inside combustion engines.

Platinum is a key part in proton trade membrane (PEM) gas cells. A paper by R.J. Spiegel says that PEM gas cells have a number of benefits, together with low working temperature (∼80 °C), excessive present densities, quick begin functionality, no corrosive fluid spillage hazard, low weight, small measurement, and probably cheap to fabricate.

Anglo American has additionally been exploring the inexperienced hydrogen financial system past simply the transport sector purposes. In partnership with EDF Renewables, its Envusa Vitality is working to develop a regional renewable power ecosystem (RREE) in South Africa. The roll-out of the RREE can even function a clear power supply for the manufacturing of inexperienced hydrogen for Anglo American’s nuGen™ Zero Emission Haulage Resolution (ZEHS) — a deliberate fleet of hydrogen-powered ultra-class mine haul vans — considerably lowering on-site diesel emissions in the direction of a carbon impartial future whereas additionally supporting the event of South Africa’s Hydrogen Valley.

Anglo American is now stepping up its partnerships within the inexperienced hydrogen financial system. Late final yr, BMW Group, Anglo American Platinum, and Sasol introduced a collaboration to drive the inexperienced hydrogen financial system with the launch of a pilot fleet of hydrogen autos in South Africa. We now have an replace on this. Yesterday, Anglo American Platinum, BMW Group South Africa and Sasol collectively launched the primary trial of a pilot fleet of BMW iX5 hydrogen gas cell electrical autos in South Africa.

The general public highway car trial was introduced on the sidelines of the Hydrogen Council’s Regional Assembly held for the primary time in Africa, in Sandton, Johannesburg, on the twelfth and thirteenth of February 2024. By way of the collaboration, the businesses every present a singular a part of the worth chain to show their capabilities on this quickly rising new financial system. With the BMW iX5 Hydrogen, the BMW Group says it has launched the world’s strongest passenger hydrogen gas cell electrical car (FCEV). The small sequence fleet is getting used around the globe to realize useful insights into the operation of hydrogen FCEVs and buyer expertise.

Peter van Binsbergen, CEO of BMW Group South Africa, stated on the Hydrogen Council’s Regional Assembly and on the launch of the BMW iX5 Hydrogen pilot fleet in South Africa that, “collaboration throughout industries could be key to unlocking the massive potential of inexperienced hydrogen as a crucial expertise within the decarbonisation problem.”

Van Binsbergen continued: “Because of this we’ve got partnered with Anglo American Platinum and Sasol to deliver the BMW iX5 Hydrogen fleet to South Africa. We see Hydrogen because the ‘lacking piece’ of the power transition puzzle and, within the transport sector, it has the potential to turn into one other pillar within the BMW Group’s drivetrain portfolio for native CO2-free mobility, alongside our established battery-electric mobility possibility.”

Dr. Juergen Guldner, BMW Group Normal Program Supervisor Hydrogen, stated: “After 4 years of improvement, the pilot fleet of BMW iX5 Hydrogen began its world tour in Antwerp, Belgium in 2023. Since then, we’ve got showcased and examined these prototypes everywhere in the world and see hydrogen automobiles as a great complement to our profitable battery electrical autos, not a contest between the 2 applied sciences. Since hydrogen automobiles mix some great benefits of electrical driving with the chance to refuel shortly, they might be ideally suited for patrons who journey loads or who shouldn’t have electrical charging at dwelling or at work.”

Prakashim Moodliar, Head of Initiatives at Anglo American Platinum, stated: “As Anglo American Platinum, we consider partnerships are key to creating a neighborhood, sustainable hydrogen financial system. Our Platinum Group Metals (PGMs) will play a strategic function in enabling a brand new industrial sector within the nation and globally. In 2023 we introduced our partnership with BMW Group South Africa and Sasol to deliver inexperienced mobility to SA. This week’s engagements symbolize a transparent and continued demonstration of a inexperienced mobility ecosystem in motion, which showcases probably the most highly effective passenger gas cell electrical car. The longer term is hydrogen.”

Dries Swanepoel, Principal Specialist Market Improvement at Sasol’s Low Carbon Vitality Options enterprise, stated: “Sasol could be very enthusiastic about our partnership with Anglo American Platinum and BMW Group South Africa to develop a neighborhood inexperienced financial system. BMW’s iX5 Hydrogen fuelled with Sasol’s hydrogen allotted utilizing Air Merchandise expertise is a strong expression of thought management and innovation in motion. Collectively, we’re making strides in the direction of introducing the idea of hydrogen mobility in South Africa and constructing the ecosystem of companions wanted to do that. The central tenet to those strategic partnerships, proof-of-concept demonstrations and pilot initiatives is collaboration. Our joint effort is robust testomony to what will be completed when numerous sectors come collectively to handle one of many world’s most urgent challenges.’’

Platinum group minerals account for nearly 40% of South Africa’s annual mineral gross sales, contributing to shut to 180,000 jobs in addition to $20 billion {dollars} in annual gross sales. After we speak about a transition, we must always think about how this may play out for industries such because the platinum trade that feeds into catalytic converters that gained’t be wanted in the identical volumes as earlier than because the shift to BEVs accelerates. It’s due to this fact straightforward to see why corporations within the platinum trade are actively working to seek out viable pathways for scaling purposes in different use circumstances reminiscent of gas cells for utility within the transport sector in addition to within the broader power ecosystem.

Conversations round hydrogen for transport purposes divide opinion in a giant means, nevertheless it could possibly be value a deeper look into probably possible purposes for locations reminiscent of South Africa which have a giant platinum trade.  Not all purposes will work out, particularly for smaller autos the place BEVs have taken the lead as a result of unparalleled power efficiencies, nevertheless, might there be different areas the place it makes extra sense? Tell us what you assume within the feedback part.

Photos courtesy of Hideki Machida