Autoblog

Guess which one's the Prince? Click to view in hi-res

For the environmental conscience of the style-conscious elite, we have good news and bad news. The good news is that there's finally a more suitable alternative to the Toyota Prius. The bad news is that it's arguably no better looking. But like moths to the limelight, the big names have flocked to the new BMW Hydrogen 7. After being adopted by such stars as Cameron Diaz, Will Ferrell, Jay Leno and Placido Domingo, the latest of the rich and famous to receive the keys to the luxo-enviromobile is none other than His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco.

The monarch of the tax-haven Mediterranean principality took delivery of the Hydrogen 7 at the Ever Monaco environmental exposition in Monte Carlo, where Prince Albert proclaimed, "I monitor very carefully, in the automobile sector in particular, the development of new technologies". Hmm, guess that means the crown prince reads Autoblog – or our sister-site Autoblog Green, which reported this particular piece of news previously – on a fairly regular basis then. Welcome to the site, your highness.

Unfortunately this means that with only 100 examples of the car being offered to the public, that's one less for the rest of us. Press release after the jump.

Gallery: BMW Hydrogen 7

[Source: BMW]

PRESS RELEASE:

PRINCE ALBERT II GIVEN KEYS TO A BMW HYDROGEN 7
Presentation at the EVER MONACO Environment Exhibition

Monaco/Munich. Prince Albert II received the keys to a BMW Hydrogen 7 at the opening of the EVER MONACO environment exhibition. The use of the vehicle is part of the "Sustainable Environmental Protection" programme which is one of the cornerstones of policy in the Principality. Prince Albert will be using a vehicle which can be operated practically without emissions in hydrogen mode (only 5 g carbon dioxide in the test cycle). The first hydrogen-powered luxury sedan to have successfully completed the series development process and to have been produced in a series of 100 models is currently being used worldwide by a number of famous personalities. The small BMW Hydrogen 7 series has already covered more than 2 million kilometres in recent months.

"I shall be discovering the advantages of the BMW Hydrogen 7 with interest over the coming weeks. I monitor very carefully, in the automobile sector in particular, the development of new technologies which help to limit negative effects on the environment by influencing human actions", said Prince Albert II.

The development of the BMW Hydrogen 7 is seen as a milestone in the realisation of alternative technologies. By using hydrogen, BMW has already created a sustainable solution today for the individual transport opportunities of tomorrow. Many well-known personalities in the fields of politics, culture and business have already decided to use a BMW Hydrogen 7 - including actors Cameron Diaz and Will Ferell, TV presenter Jay Leno, opera star Placido Domingo, film directors Stephen Gaghan and Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, world-famous soprano Anna Netrebko, German ministers Wolfgang Tiefensee and Michal Glos and the Vice-President of the EU, Günter Verheugen.