Toyota is working on an innovative solution that could greatly simplify life for owners of fuel cell vehicles (FCEVs). This new system would reduce the size of traditional hydrogen tanks by replacing them with portable cartridges that are small enough to be carried in a backpack.
In theory, they could power everything from stoves to vehicles. When empty, they simply need to be replaced or recharged.
The hydrogen dream has hit rough waters
Hydrogen-powered vehicles were supposed to represent the future: zero tailpipe emissions and refuelling as easy as that of petrol-powered cars. But the reality is very different. Service stations are sorely lacking.
Changing your tanks at home
Imagine not having to wait at the gas station. Instead, you could simply change your hydrogen tanks at home, a bit like replacing the batteries in your smoke detector. That's exactly the concept behind Toyota's new portable hydrogen cartridges. These cartridges are much smaller than those found in today's FCEVs - about the size of a large camping bag - and you could easily swap them out, like propane tanks.
Although Toyota has yet to specify how much hydrogen a single cartridge could hold, computer-generated images indicate a capacity of 4.7 liters and a pressure of 525 bar. This is equivalent to around 161 grams of hydrogen.
By comparison, a second-generation Toyota Mirai can store up to 5.65 kg of hydrogen, which means it would take around 35 cartridges to achieve the same quantity. Not ideal, but there's room for improvement.
A first step towards a new energy era
Toyota says the cartridges have been designed to make hydrogen “familiar and safe”, usable in a multitude of everyday situations. At the recent 2024 Japan Mobility Show, Toyota presented a hydrogen stove, developed in collaboration with Rinnai Corporation, as the first concrete application of this technology.
Although these portable tanks are not yet mass-produced, Toyota is actively seeking startups and partners to develop and market these cartridges. In other words, we'll have to be patient before we see hydrogen-powered cars with replaceable cartridges on our roads. But it's a dream come true!