Hilary Swank smiles for a BMW Hydrogen 7

Somebody needs to break out the Handiwipes, what with all of the celebrities and politicians who have shared the BMW Hydrogen 7 recently (granted, there is a fleet of them). The latest is Hilary Swank, who drove the H7 and gave BMW the chance to combine references to Swank's role in the movie Million Dollar Baby with the fact that the H7 fleet now has over two million miles under its dual-fuel powertrain. While BMW has a point when they say the car is "virtually emission-free" when running on H₂, they decline to mention how many of these miles were done using gasoline in the ICE. We'll see if the Bavarians get any more specific when they toss the keys to the next celebrity on the schedule.

[Source: BMW]

PRESS RELEASE:

'MILLION DOLLAR BABY' AND MORE THAN TWO MILLION MILES WITH THE BMW HYDROGEN 7

Swank proudly joins a select group to get behind the wheel of BMW's hydrogen-powered luxury sedan.
Munich/Woodcliff Lake, NJ. Hilary Swank, two time Academy Award-winning Best Actress for Boys Don't Cry and Million Dollar Baby, received the keys to a BMW Hydrogen 7 today, the world's first hydrogen-powered luxury sedan. The BMW Hydrogen 7 technology melds the luxury of BMW's largest sedan with the virtually emission-free power of a hydrogen combustion engine.

With the first miles covered by Hilary Swank, altogether more than two million miles have been driven with the BMW Hydrogen 7. This impressive amount has been generated by the usage of the vehicle by numerous worldwide renowned personalities. Hilary Swank joins Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Will Ferrell, Jay Leno, Edward Norton, Cameron Diaz, Melissa Etheridge and others who have opted for a BMW Hydrogen 7 as their energy-efficient ride of choice. The vehicle has also made an impact oversees, with luminaries such as Michael Glos, German Federal Minister for Economy and Technology, and Hans-Gert Pöttering, President of the European Parliament, and many others.

Swank's storied career spans 18 years. In addition to winning two Academy Awards, Swank is also the recipient of one Screen Actors Guild Award and two Golden Globe Awards for Best Actress. While most of Swank's time is consumed by her acting career, she has never forgotten her humble upbringing, and continues to give back as much as possible. Earlier this year, Swank was presented with the Entertainment Industry Foundation's 2008 Courage Award, in recognition of her efforts on behalf of the EIF's Women's Cancer Research Fund. She also attended the worldwide renowned Charity Gala Cinema for Peace in Berlin where she experienced the BMW Hydrogen 7 for the first time: 'Having experienced the 'clean driving pleasure' of the BMW Hydrogen 7 in February, I feel very honored being able to drive this forward-looking vehicle for a longer period of time. For me, the car is the result of a responsible research and development. What I'm hoping to do is to get people inspired to be open for alternative energy technologies which bring relief to our environment.'

The BMW Group, as a pioneer, is pressing ahead consistently with hydrogen technology. The group has grappled intensively with the issue of sustainable mobility for more than two decades. Petrol is expected to be replaced by hydrogen as a source of energy in the long term. Onward this year, the BMW Hydrogen 7 will be handed over to selected representatives from the world of lifestyle, politics and economy. A small series of 100 vehicles was produced at first. The BMW Hydrogen 7 combines the full integration of hydrogen technology with the BMW's typical driving dynamics, refinement and interior comfort.