These Toyota Hydrogen Cartridges Could Replace Batteries in the Future

Toyota is currently working on a portable hydrogen cartridge that could replace removable batteries in the future.

In the era of electromobility adoption, Toyota remains one of the few automakers who insisted on exploring other zero-emission alternatives besides battery EVs (BEVs). This time around, Toyota is showcasing several developments regarding its hydrogen venture, but the most interesting one comes in a relatively small package.

The small thing we’re talking about is a portable hydrogen cartridge that Toyota is currently developing. This cartridge is essentially a shrunken-down version of those typical hydrogen tanks that take lots of space and weight—both of which deem hydrogen-powered cars somewhat less practical.

With an aim to make hydrogen a “familiar and safe energy source that can be used in a variety of everyday situations,” these hydrogen cartridges can not only be used in hydrogen fuel cell-powered vehicles (FCEVs), but also for other domestic applications such as to provide electricity and use for cooking. For the latter application, the automaker even collaborated with Japan-based gas appliance manufacturer Rinnai to develop a hydrogen-powered stovetop.

And thanks to their relatively small size and portability, these cartridges could be used like a giant AA battery. This allows FCEV owners to ‘refuel’ their vehicles by only swapping the cartridges and also provides them with some extra spaces that were previously occupied by those large hydrogen tanks.

Should this technology be viable for everyday use, we’d reckon that Toyota may actually be able to kill two birds with one stone, as FCEVs powered by these portable cartridges would make a good alternative for both fixed-battery EVs and EVs with swappable battery packs.

These portable hydrogen cartridges will be shown by Toyota at the upcoming Japan Mobility Show Bizweek 2024 later in Oct 15, alongside the hydrogen-powered GR Corolla H2 concept.

Besides those two, Toyota is also showcasing its “sweep energy storage system” that uses batteries from old or defunct electrified vehicles, including both BEVs and hybrids. The automaker said “various types of used batteries with different degrees of deterioration can be reused to maximise each battery’s remaining energy storage capacity,” and they’ll “contribute to a stable supply of electricity and the spread of renewable energy in combination with solar, wind, and other renewable energy power generation systems.”