Report - BMW working on Toyota FCV based green car; could be called 'i5'

The technology is jointly developed by BMW and Toyota.

Toyota has just previewed the Mirai FCV (Fuel Cell Vehicle) ahead of its 2014 Los Angeles Motor Show debut. The car is powered by a next generation fuel cell system promising 300 km of range on a full tank of hydrogen, and 5-min of refueling time.

[Head to Youtube if you can't watch the video.]

BMW and Toyota had signed a technical partnership last year, which will spawn a range of new products and technologies co-developed by the two automobile heavyweights. Other than the highly anticipated two-seater sports car, they will also develop a fuel cell system that will be ready for mass production by 2020.

According to Autocar UK, it seems that the Mirai FCV will serve as the base for an upcoming BMW FCV, that will be a part of brand's futuristic "i" range. Likely to be called the BMW i5, the rumored hydrogen-powered model will share similar performance and efficiency figures with the Toyota Mirai. So far, no other technical details have been shared about its launch, or its expected price tag. It will compete against the Mercedes-Benz B-Class FCV that will be launched in 2017.

Also read: BMW i8 showcased in Indonesia

The Mirai, on the other hand, will go on sale in Japan during April 2015, followed by the U.S and Europe a few months later. In its home country, the Toyota Mirai will come with a price tag of JPY 7 million (around INR 37.08 Lakhs), and an estimated price point of EUR 48,200 (around INR 37.18 Lakhs) in the European market. Since BMW is a premium brand, expect the i5 to cost more.

[Source: Autocar UK]