BMW HR2

The BMW HR2 race car has set 9 international and FIA-ratified land-speed records for hydrogen cars. The records were set at the Miramas Proving Grounds in France. The BMW HR2 is one of the few hydrogen cars developed with internal combustion engine (ICE) technology instead of fuel cell technology.

The BMW HR2 also is a dual-fuel vehicle. With a flip of a switch the HR2 can move between hydrogen or gasoline fuel tanks for power. When accomplishing the land-speed records, the gasoline portion of the dual mode operating system was disabled.

The HR2 uses BMW's top of the line 6.0-liter V12 gasoline engine modified for either hydrogen or gasoline and can achieve 285 hp and with a top speed on 185.5 mph. The HR2 can also accelerate from a standstill from 0 - 60 in about 6 seconds.

The hydrogen-only powered H2R prototype set up the following records in September 2004:

The HR2 is based on BMW's flagship limousine, the 760Li with fully variable VALVETRONIC valve drive. The main modifications to the engine involve enhancements to the fuel injection system and seals needed to accommodate the H2 fuel. Since hydrogen burns faster and at a slightly lower temperature than gasoline under normal pressure, yet runs hotter when mixed with air for combustion, the HR2 engine management system had to be modified. For instance, the pistons were not ignited by the hydrogen / air mixture until they had reached top dead center inside the cylinders.

The name HR2 supposedly stands for "Hydrogen Race Car," "Hydrogen Record Car" or "Hydrogen Research Car." The BMW HR2 was developed in just 10 months by BMW Forschung und Technik GmbH, a subsidiary of BMW. The sleek, space-age body design was made of aluminium space-frame chassis and suspension with an aluminum body skeleton upon a carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic outer body. It was conceived by California-based, DesignworksUSA, a strategic consultancy firm owned by the BMW Group.