Buying a car used to be a pretty simple process. It was generally a case of picking your preferred petrol or diesel model, working to your available budget and getting for the best spec you could get for the money.

Now though, with countless hybrids, plug-in and fully electric cars to consider, alongside petrol and diesel models, there’s almost too much choice. You can, for example, get the BMW X5 in petrol, diesel and plug-in flavours. Now though, there’s a hydrogen model too - not that you can buy it, mind.

While you can purchase Toyota's Mirai or Hyundai’s Nexo if you're determined to go for something decidedly different in the form of an H2-powered car, the BMW iX5 Hydrogen is, for now at least, simply part of a pilot scheme that’s designed to showcase the potential of this emissions-free fuel.

Distinctive styling touches

Seeing as BMW has used the existing X5 model to create its limited run of iX5 Hydrogen cars, there is much that is familiar. In fact, design-wise it's essentially the same, with only cosmetic touches making the SUV look different to the normal edition. All cars come in white and have distinctive blue decals that run from the front wings and peter out as they flow down the doors. Underneath, the 'BMW Hydrogen Fuel Cell' graphics flag up what you're driving to passers-by.

The same message is displayed on the bottom half of the split tailgate. There are also some bright almost anodised blue trim touches, most notably around the bottom of the front bumper, along the sills and around the exhaust outlet areas on the back bumper. Aside from that, the exterior looks pretty much as it does with a non-Hydrogen model. Lift up the bonnet though and underneath there's a large and rather cool-looking panel that covers the fuel cell itself.

Luxurious practicality

Similarly, the interior is very much as it is with the standard X5. Amazingly, however, BMW has had to do quite a lot of fettling underneath the car in order to find a home for the twin tanks that hold the hydrogen. There's one that runs under what would have been the transmission tunnel in a conventional car, while a smaller one sits under the rear seat/boot area. You'd never know it though, and there's nothing that really gives away the fact that a lot of tweaking has been done underneath those comfy seats.

Everything feels in the right place too, with the centre console housing all of the usual drive options. Aside from the blue start button, there are button options for Sport, Comfort and Eco Pro to keep drivers happy with whichever way they want to drive the iX5 Hydrogen. In addition, there's plenty of data available if you're interested at seeing just how well your H2 consumption is going, via the infotainment screen.

BMW offered up a WLTP figure of 1.19kg of H2 used for every 100km travelled, though our car returned slightly less thanks to some enthusiastic driving during the course of our trek through rural Belgium.

Drives like electric

Hopping on up and into the BMW iX5 Hydrogen and preparing the shift into drive is basically the same procedure as it is in a regular edition of the car. Press that blue start button on the centre console and the dashboard springs into life, with only the gauges giving you much of a nod towards the Hydrogen fuel that’s going to get you down the road. Select your preferred drive mode and moving off feels just like it does behind the wheel of an EV.

Picking the BMW iX5 Hydrogen through narrow city streets packed with Belgian cyclists proved easy enough, with the same care needed as when you're behind the wheel of a fully electric car. It is very quiet indeed. Navigate your way out of town and hit the highway and the BMW iX5 Hydrogen turns out to be deceptively perky too. In fact, the fuel cell, battery and electric motor combination delivers a combined output of 295 kW/401 horsepower, which is more than enough for most needs.

The BMW iX5 Hydrogen proves perfectly erudite when it comes to pulling out from junctions and getting across roundabouts. With a 0-62 mph time of around six seconds it's got plenty of oomph for overtaking too. Top speed is 112mph and getting there feels very enjoyable with those tanks, and the rejigged undercarriage doesn't give off any detrimental effects in the handling department either. Overall, the BMW iX5 feels nicely balanced on a run and impressively agile through the corners.

First impressions

Jump behind the wheel of the BMW iX5 Hydrogen and, unless anyone had told you in advance, you’d be hard-pressed to tell the difference between this car and a regular model from the X5 range. It's a great car to drive and performs in much the same way as its petrol, diesel or plug-in counterparts.

Whether or not it will become a production reality, aside from the 100 or so examples produced to date, remains to be seen. Nevertheless, it does show what could be done in countries that have a plan in place to create a hydrogen refuelling infrastructure.

Mainland Europe and Germany in particular is peppered with a decent selection of hydrogen refuelling stations. That's the good news. Conversely, the UK now has less hydrogen stations than it used to following Shell's decision last year to close the ones it did have. Not so good.

As it stands, you’ll get around 313 miles from the twin tanks of H2 in the BMW iX5 Hydrogen and decent performance too, with 295 kW/401 horsepower coming from the powertrain combination of fuel cell, battery and electric motor. Whisper quiet operation and a nicely appointed, premium cockpit tops off the appeal. So, the question remains - will they ever build this version of the SUV in larger numbers? Perhaps more importantly, is there a market for it?

While hydrogen is frequently seen as a great way to go for fuelling trucks, buses and other commercial vehicles, the BMW iX5 Hydrogen illustrates just how well the format could work in a passenger car too. In particular, it would be ideally suited to folks with a lack of easy access to electric charging. Frequent travellers or those who live in cold climates could also benefit from a BMW iX5 Hydrogen, as would anyone needing to tow regularly.

So, lots of reasons to buy it then. It’s just a shame you can’t. For now anyway.