The left-hand drive BMW iX5 Hydrogen trial car we’re about to drive meets all the safety standards required by any modern, production series BMW.

This assurance comes from Dr Jürgen Guldner, general programme manager for hydrogen technology at the German manufacturer. He flew into Mzansi as part of a global roadshow promoting the technology, presented in format that seems to be just about showroom-ready, in the form of this special X5 trial model.

There are 100 units of the vehicle in global circulation, all for demonstration purposes. But real, paying consumers will not be able sign-up just yet.

Expectedly, Dr Guldner is a major apologist for hydrogen setups. Among the positives of the power source is a weight advantage over a fully electric equivalent that relies solely on batteries.

In addition to that, the fill-up process is a lot quicker. Whereas a fully electric vehicle might take at least half an hour to juice completely (using a fast-charger); repleting a hydrogen tank could take under five minutes, purportedly.

So, exactly the same as the experience we are currently accustomed to – going from empty to full tank in the time it takes to choose and pay for a garage pie. SA currently has no hydrogen filling stations or hydrogen-powered production vehicles on sale. Sasol has been vocal about its efforts in the space. Last year, it previewed an “on-road hydrogen mobility system” at the Smarter Mobility Africa summit, using the Toyota Mirai as a subject.

Standstill to 100km/h takes less than six seconds and from a responsiveness perspective, the iX5 Hydrogen has that instant get-up typical of an electric vehicle.

While its powertrain is quite futuristic, the on-road character stays true to the familiar X5 experience. That means crisp handling, assured reflexes and refined cruising, further enhanced by the near-silence of the electric powertrain.

The manufacturer has not confirmed when series production hydrogen models will start hitting showrooms.

The Mirai was the first hydrogen fuel cell vehicle to be mass-produced. Toyota brought over local units for research purposes. China lays claim to having as many as 351 hydrogen filling stations, Europe has 244 and there are 70 across North America.

While ardent BMW fans love to reference the core, sporting models that defined the brand, this is a company that has never shied away from experimentation.

It was in 1972 that it showed the world its first attempt at an electric car, with a battery-powered 1602 that debuted at the Olympic Games in Munich.

In the 2000, it took the wraps off the 750hL, based on the exquisite E38 7-Series, which ran a V12 motor powered by hydrogen.

The hydrogen was stored cryogenically at a temperature of around minus 250 degrees Celsius, in a double-walled steel tank behind the rear seat-backs.

Unlike the 750hL, which retained an internal combustion engine, the iX5 Hydrogen relies on silent electric motivation. Also unlike its ancestor, the hydrogen storage solution deployed in the sport-utility vehicle is completely out of sight. Two tanks are positioned towards the rear of the chassis, sandwich beneath occupant seating.

The full extent of the powertrain comprises a fuel cell system (125kW); hydrogen tanks (6kg); an electric motor (295kW) and a 170kW battery. Fully-fuelled, the iX5 Hydrogen lays claim to a driving range of just over 500km.