BMW and Alvaro Barrington present hydrogen-powered art cars at Art Basel 2025

BMW and artist Alvaro Barrington showcase hydrogen mobility with BMW iX5 Hydrogen art cars at Art Basel 2025, marking 50 years of BMW Art Cars.

This year, BMW celebrates 50 years of its iconic Art Car Collection, and it does so with bold intent. At the heart of the festivities is a new collaboration with Alvaro Barrington—an artist known for blending painting, textiles, and cultural critique—who has turned the hydrogen-powered BMW iX5 into a canvas on wheels for the project “Simply, 2025.”

The partnership is more than a visual experiment—it’s a statement on the future of sustainable mobility. Throughout Art Basel in Basel, the BMW iX5 Hydrogen fleet, wrapped in Barrington’s striking collage aesthetic, transports VIP guests, effectively turning the streets into a rolling exhibition. Barrington drew inspiration from figures like David Hockney and Tina Turner, as well as from conversations with BMW’s hydrogen engineers.

His vivid design, layered with symbolism, reflects ideas of transformation, nature, and the human-technology relationship. The project builds on BMW’s ongoing commitment to bridging innovation and contemporary culture. Last year, artist Es Devlin introduced her own concept at Art Basel, while earlier this spring, German artist Gregor Hildebrandt wrapped a fleet of electric BMW i5 and i7 models for the Market Art Fair in Stockholm.

Underneath the art lies a technological leap: the BMW iX5 Hydrogen features a fuel cell system co-developed with Toyota, offering a range of up to 504 kilometers. The company is planning to launch its first production hydrogen vehicle in 2028, viewing the technology as complementary to its existing electric and hybrid platforms.

“Simply, 2025” is not just an artistic gesture. It’s a declaration of intent—a vision of a future where sustainability is emotionally resonant, and where mobility becomes part of the cultural conversation.