Well, we can finally talk about regular human beans being able to drive the planet-hugger heretofore known as the BMW 760hL.

To be displayed at the end of November on the BMW stand at the Los Angeles Auto Show alongside the new X5, the Hydrogen 7 has adopted a more flex-fuel approach to the hydrogen combustion solution. For though we are on our long way toward solving the power-and-distance-per-pound-of-hydrogen conundrum (liquid hydrogen is measured in weight units and not volume), we are too far away from a fuel-cell-only or hydrogen-only solution to make it economically viable to either car companies or consumers. Hence the gas/hydrogen combo in the new Hydrogen 7.

We were present at BMW's testing facility at Miramas, France, for the record runs of the thoroughly space-age looking H2R hydrogen combustion concept car in 2004. Though it seemed then that the whole CleanEnergy initiative was back-burnered in favor of the hybrid craze, BMW remained intent on getting some version of the 7 Series a la hydrogen into people's hands.

BMW will initially produce 100 of the Hydrogen 7 cars to be distributed around the world wherever there are hydrogen filling stations built. This currently means Berlin, Munich, Beijing, Japan (a maybe), Brussels (another maybe), the UK, Italy (both further maybes) and California. California, in fact, will get the lion's share of non-German Hydrogen 7s by the end of June 2007.

There is no MSRP on the Hydrogen 7. What will happen is that the BMW dealers with the highest-rated V.I.P. programs (and also those, of course, nearest to a hydrogen network) will receive some Hydrogen 7s that can in turn be leased by their most valued clientele. But this is not just on a lark for their kids' senior proms or anything; the leases will be for several weeks to several months. There will be high interest from BMW and its representative dealers in seeing users' reactions and getting their copious feedback.

Power is limited - whether in gas or liquid hydrogen mode - to 256 horsepower and the gas tank capacity is 19.5 gallons US, while hydrogen mass at full is 17.6 pounds in the heavily protected and insulated hydrogen tank. Insulated enough to maintain liquid hydrogen's optimal temperature of minus 418°F. 0-to-62-mph acceleration (i.e. 0-to-100kmh) is estimated by BMW at 9.5 seconds.

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