BMW picks Lhyfe to supply green hydrogen for its Steyr fuel cell plant

BMW Group has signed a multi-year agreement with French producer Lhyfe to supply green hydrogen to its plant in Steyr, Austria. From 2028, that plant will build the fuel cell system going into the first series-produced hydrogen BMW, the iX5 Hydrogen. It marks Lhyfe's first delivery in Austria.

Series production from 2028

The Steyr plant, BMW's largest engine complex for more than forty years, is adding a new pillar. Alongside combustion engines and electric drives, it will produce the third generation of the BMW fuel cell system. That generation has been co-developed with Toyota, is around 25 percent more compact than its predecessor, and delivers up to roughly 401 hp in the iX5 Hydrogen. The vehicle is expected to offer around 500 kilometres of range and refuels in three to four minutes.

Why green hydrogen for R&D?

The hydrogen from Lhyfe isn't headed for the pump but for the test bench. It will be used for series development, industrialisation, testing and validation of the fuel cell systems. BMW has deliberately chosen RFNBO-certified hydrogen — the EU's strictest sustainability label — to keep the chain from factory to end product as low-emission as possible. Lhyfe will deliver via its own fleet of tube trailers from its European production network.

What this signals

The deal matters for the hydrogen sector for several reasons:

• A major automaker is doubling down on hydrogen while many competitors are pausing
• BMW is choosing genuinely green hydrogen (RFNBO) rather than fossil-based "grey" alternatives
• Austria, which aims to be climate-neutral by 2040, is adding industrial hydrogen demand
• The collaboration fits a broader European push to localise hydrogen technology production

For hydrogen drivers, the iX5 Hydrogen is the model to watch: it will be the first series-produced fuel cell BMW and part of an X5 line-up offering five powertrains side by side — petrol, diesel, plug-in hybrid, battery-electric and hydrogen.

Sources:

• LinkedIn post by David Scrimgeour, May 2026
• Powertrain International: Lhyfe Green Hydrogen for BMW Group's Steyr R&D Centre (5 May 2026)
• Renewable Energy Magazine: Lhyfe becomes green hydrogen supplier to BMW Group's Steyr R&D centre
• Hydrogen Fuel News: Green Hydrogen Supply Fuels BMW's Steyr Fuel Cell Testing
• EV Magazine: Could BMW's Plant Steyr Become the Future of Hydrogen EVs?