I’m at the Tokyo Mobility Show with Michael Rath from BMW’s hydrogen program to take a close look at the company’s next big step in fuel-cell tech. A few weeks ago we tore down the Gen2 system in New York — today we’re comparing it directly with the all-new Gen3 setup that will go into the 2028 BMW iX5 Hydrogen. The Gen3 system is 25% more compact, more powerful, and more efficient. Michael walks through every major component — the fuel-cell stack, DCDC converter, compressor, intercooler, and humidifier — and explains how the system produces electricity in real time instead of relying on a giant battery pack. We also talk about BMW’s joint development with Toyota, why the X5 is the first production model, and how hydrogen fits into BMW’s long history of alternative drivetrains: from the 1972 electric 2002, to the hydrogen E12 5 Series, the Hydrogen 7, the H2R land-speed car, and the early i5 fuel-cell prototypes. The goal isn’t to replace BEVs, but to offer a second zero-emission dr...