Believe it or not, the Frankfurt Auto Show is fast approaching. Kicking off in September, BMW will have a strong showing with the hotly-anticipated debuts of the new M5 and i8 Roadster. According to BMW Blog, sources are now claiming that BMW will also be using the show to preview the long-awaited X7 three-row SUV in the form of a concept vehicle with a fuel cell powertrain, which will also make it into the production model. Of course, this won't be the first time BMW has utilized hydrogen fuel cell technology.

BMW has been testing the technology for several years now. Between 2005 and 2007, the automaker built the Hydrogen 7 based on the BMW 7-Series. More recently, BMW revealed a hydrogen-powered i8 and 5-Series GT prototype in 2015, a project that had been secretly developed in 2012. BMW has teamed up with Toyota to create the technology and develop a Z4 sports car replacement and a Supra successor. Whether the X7 concept will have the same fuel cell powertrain as the 5-Series GT prototype remains to be seen. However, BMW's chief developer has previously said that a hydrogen fuel cell platform only makes sense in cars positioned above the 5-Series.

As the brand's seven-seat SUV, the X7 will be the largest and most luxurious BMW to date, and will battle the likes of the Bentley Bentayga and mighty Range Rover, being just as capable off-road as its rivals. BMW's largest SUV will be assembled at the Spartanburg factory in the US, where the X3, X4, X5 and X6 are also manufactured. Along with the fuel-cell and conventional gasoline and diesel-powered, a plug-in hybrid variant of the X7 will be offered with a powertrain most likely sourced from the 740e. Expect the production BMW X7 to be revealed next year before it goes on sale in early 2019.