Toyota reveals game-changing hydrogen tank swap techology

10/20/2024 09:00 PM

Toyota has shown off its new portable hydrogen energy cartridge as part of its exhibit of carbon-neutral technology at Japan Mobility Show Bizweek 2024, held in Tokyo from 15-18 October. 

The world’s biggest car maker showed the new portable hydrogen energy cartridges being used to power a cooktop made by Rinnai – and presented concepts of the small drums inside cars.

Hydrogen can be used to create electricity or be used as a combustible fuel – with hydrogen-powered cars' tanks filled up in the same way as petrol or diesel fuel tanks and promising similar driving range.

Conversely, a fuel-cell electric vehicle gets its electricity from hydrogen instead of needing to be plugged into a power socket/source.

The car maker said the game-changing cartridges were designed to be easier to handle by users, in contrast to hydrogen tanks which were "previously large and difficult to carry".

It plans to offer the cartridges for sale to start-ups – with many present at the Mobility Show – who may be developing technology able to benefit from the tech as Toyota helps "create a hydrogen society".

The technology comes in the wake of a new partnership with BMW to help produce the German car maker's first mass production hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicle as part of Toyota's 'multi-pathway approach'.

Many car makers are switching to completely battery-electric vehicle line-ups – while Ford has pulled back from a similar goal by 2030.

Yet Toyota has consistently said it will produce a number of drivetrain types, including electric, hybrid and plug-in hybrid as well as internal combustion engines – well into the future.

Chairman and former CEO Akio Toyoda said in early 2024 battery-electric vehicles will only ever make up around one-third of Toyota's global sales regardless of unforeseen battery improvements or other technical advancements.

The first-generation Toyota Mirai introduced in 2014 – not sold in Australia – was the world's first dedicated hydrogen fuel-cell electric production vehicle.

In 2021 the second-generation Mirai was shown to media and offered by special order in Australia but was not available to the general public.

The Hyundai Nexo SUV was the first hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle available to the general public in Australia – albeit for lease only – when it was launched in 2020.

The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) government purchased 20 Hyundai Nexo SUVs in 2021 with the first public hydrogen re-fuelling station opening in Fyshwick, ACT, the same year.

Hyundai opened the first refuelling station – not available to the public – in 2015 at its Sydney headquarters after importing a prototype hydrogen fuel-cell powered iX35 SUV.

In 2021 Toyota Australia installed a hydrogen production and refuelling station at its Altona, Victoria, facility while the government-funded CSIRO opened a refuelling station in the south east Melbourne suburb of Clayton in 2023.

In July 2024 BMW Australia showcased the BMW iX5 Hydrogen to Australian media after importing a test vehicle to evaluate its suitability for local showrooms.

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