While the rest of the world is racing toward electrification, BMW is on its own path, one that has yet to leave traces of the internal combustion engine (ICE). Although BMW’s competitors fully support electric vehicles, BMW is doubling down on ICE innovation, with its latest patent having the potential to revolutionize how citizens see gasoline engines. BMW patents reveal its best-kept secret ever.
The secret revealed: combustion system
In an unexpected turn of events, this German automaker has submitted a patent for a novel combustion system that will revolutionize the economy, performance, and longevity of conventional engines. The new combustion system is based on pre-chamber combustion, a concept drawn from historical diesel technology that has been modified for gas engines. In contrast to most typical ignition systems, this design features a pre-chamber with strategically located apertures.
A spark plug further ignites a fuel-air mixture in the pre-chamber, causing high-energy jets to enter the main chamber for more effective combustion. Rather than being a mere technological upgrade, BMW believes that combustion engines still have a future, and that this future is driven by a certain sort of fuel.
BMW wants to go all in with this fuel
Despite the patent not expressly tying the new combustion system to a single fuel, BMW insiders and industry conjecture point to hydrogen as the centerpiece of this covert strategy. Hydrogen-powered internal combustion engines (H2-ICE) provide a link between traditional powertrains and entirely electric drivetrains. They just generate water vapor, enabling for rapid recharging and the use of existing engine components.
BMW has been discreetly testing hydrogen in both fuel cell and combustion versions for several years. Cleaner combustion, along with a unique pre-chamber design, increases the viability of hydrogen combustion. Unlike competing electric vehicles that use lithium-ion batteries, the H2-ICE does not rely on rare earth metals or other foreign battery suppliers. The decision to rely less on rare earth metals and foreign-dominated battery supply chains is strategic, as BMW CEO Oliver Zipse recently stated at the Paris Motor Show.
Zipse, BMW’s CEO, expressed greater pessimism about Europe’s aggressive EV standards, citing rising prices, supply chain problems, and declining demand for electric vehicles. Instead of treading on shaky ground like other EV manufacturers, the BMW CEO noted the company’s need for hydrogen, which can be generated locally and easily incorporated into existing fuel infrastructure with low environmental impact.
Timeless engineering and redesign
Adaptability is essential to BMW’s pre-chamber combustion architecture. According to the patent, the technique may be scaled across a variety of engine designs, ranging from modest three-cylinders to powerful V8s. Whether you’re driving an entry-level sedan or a performance-tuned M model, the fundamentals of efficient combustion and clean operation may apply.
BMW’s invention includes a split-electrode arrangement that improves temperature management and eliminates misfires, which are critical components in high-compression hydrogen engines. This invention paves the way for longer-lasting, high-performance engines that do not compromise sustainability. Learn why BMW is avoiding hydrogen and investing heavily in this engine.
A strategic move forward
BMW’s adoption of hydrogen combustion is more than simply a yearning for screaming engines; the company is looking forward to mobility in a fragmented global market.
The next G65 X5, scheduled for introduction in 2026, could be the first vehicle to employ this next-generation combustion technology. This might mark the start of a new generation of efficient, cleaner-burning ICE automobiles fuelled entirely by hydrogen.
With less excitement around EVS, BMW’s latest patent could be its most daring step toward its vision of driving without compromise, fueled by hydrogen and engineered with the aesthetic of a new sort of future. BMW’s revelation is similar to Korea’s display of the ‘coolest’ engine in history.
