Psst, Deputy Mayor of London, wanna free BMW Hydrogen 7?
BMW is working hard to publicize their new, full-operational Hydrogen 7, and I daresay it's going to work. Instead of marketing the bezeeses out of the car like most automakers, they are strategically placing free specimens of the vehicle in the hands of higher-ups, officials and "opinion makers" of London. The Deputy Mayor and London Hydrogen Partnership Chair Nicky Gavron received hers yesterday.
This is only the first of many Hydrogen 7s being given to business leaders and others so they can evaluate the car and its performance. BMW is showing a lot of faith in their product by such a bold PR move. I think if they had such faith in the product, they should be selling them now, as well. Production, however will take time to pick up, however.
The London Hydrogen Partnership endeavors to make England a hydrogen-based economy because of its obvious benefits to the environment (we know, we know, if they get the problems worked out) and the way it reduced the need for foreign oil. Nicky Gavron, who is chairman of said Partnership, will be using the vehicle whenever possible, and says she is committed to making London one of the world centers for hydrogen, and taking any necessary step to reducing emissions harmful to the environment. She also says, "I am pleased the have this opportunity to try out the BMW Hydrogen 7 car." Yeah, BMW, I'd be pleased too.
[Source: BMW]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Hun Boon 7:29PM (6/14/2007)
To be honest, the issue lies not with the car but with the hydrogen supply network. The Hydrogen 7 is probably almost production ready. But what's the point of buying a car when its fuel is not easily available?
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ThwartedEfforts 8:53AM (6/15/2007)
I'd like to echo Hun Boon's comments.
It was only this week that BP shut the UK's only hydrogen filling station down, leaving Nicky Gavron with a car for which there is no fuel. This business with the 7-Series seems to be going on forever, and is plainly more an exercise in bandying about BMW's aren't-we-clever credentials than showing people what they might be driving five or ten years from now. The fact the country's hydrogen network disappeared overnight without anyone knowing it was even there says it all really.
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Chris M 11:47PM (6/16/2007)
Will the Deputy Mayor realize how poor the fuel economy is on the "Hydrogen 7"? (4 mpg on H2, 15 mpg petrol) Probably not, some lowly assistant will probably be responsible for refueling, billed to the government.
Maybe the Deputy Mayor will notice the lack of trunk space caused by the 30 gallon liquid H2 dewar tank? Maybe not, if some lowly porter has to schlep her luggage.
Maybe the Deputy Mayor will notice how noisy it is when running on H2? Well, not if she can't get the liquid H2 and ends up running exclusively on petrol.
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Katrina 10:44AM (6/18/2007)
Oh come on guys and gals, give them a shot. Yes, the bugs need to be worked out, fine, a lot of bugs, but at least it is a step in the right direction for the UK. Who knows? Maybe it will inspire the US to try a bit harder too- there's nothing like the spirit of competition for a bunch of guys and politicians with cars.
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peter young 4:53AM (7/27/2007)
i need a car
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