Toyota’s swappable hydrogen fuel cells can extend EV range without pitstops

Japanese automobile giant Toyota has unveiled swappable hydrogen fuel cartridges at the ongoing Japan Mobility Bizweek, as part of its research and development efforts in the clean energy space.

Toyota envisions that its easy-to-carry cartridges could help power electric vehicles and homes with clean hydrogen in the future.

Hydrogen has the potential to be the ultimate clean energy source in the future thanks to its high energy density and ability to generate power without any carbon emissions. Unlike wind and solar-based energy, hydrogen can be used on demand and even burned to generate high temperatures for industrial applications.

When used in fuel cells, hydrogen combines with oxygen to generate electricity and water as a by-product. It is a lightweight fuel that can be stored and transported easily, and therefore, it is also being explored as an option for flying airplanes.

Toyota’s swappable cartridges

Unlike EVs, which need a few hours of charging time, fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) can hit the road right away after a fueling stop. However, to achieve this ability, a network of hydrogen pumping stations needs to be built first.

The previous experiences rolling out fossil fuels and EV charging stations have shown that building a network is time-consuming and reaching remote areas can be difficult. Like EVs, this could create anxiety with FCEVs as well, thereby slowing their adoption.

Toyota’s solution to the problem is carrying fuel in cartridges, making it easy to swap in vehicles while carrying it onboard when required. The company debuted the concept with its subsidiary company, Woven, in 2022 and will showcase improvements to the product at Mobility Bizweek.

In a press release , the company said it has improved the portable cartridge by reducing the size and weight of the hydrogen tanks. The newly unveiled cartridges are so light that they can be carried by hand or in a specially designed backpack.

Going beyond vehicles for everyday applications

Future FCEV owners could carry these swappable cartridges onboard during long road journeys and completely avoid a fuel stop. However, Toyota isn’t limiting the application to vehicles alone.

Because of its easy-to-carry size, the cartridge can also power homes during a power outage or even daily functions like cooking. The company demonstrated a potential use of the technology by powering a cooking stove in collaboration with Rinnai at the ongoing event.

In the future, instead of diesel generators, one could see hydrogen-fueled power generators firing up in case of a power outage during emergencies.

Given hydrogen’s highly explosive nature and the fears associated with using the fuel, the company is working towards making it a familiar and safe energy source by introducing its use for day-to-day functions.

Just like liquified petroleum gas is pressurized and supplied to homes and industrial kitchens worldwide, hydrogen could soon become a regular energy source.

The real challenge for companies, like Toyota for example, remains how to make it cost-effectively using renewable sources of energy.