Hot on the heels of Tesla releasing their EV patents, Toyota is set to release 5,600 fuel cell patents to help encourage development of fuel cell technology.
The news came as Toyota took to the stage at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas showcasing the Hydrogen Fuel cell powered Mirai. Toyota hope that by opening up its patents “royalty-free” that they will strive to what they hope will become a Hydrogen Society.
The 5680 patents break down as follows:
- 1970 patents relate to fuel cell stacks
- 290 patents relate to high-pressure hydrogen tanks
- 3350 patents relate to fuel cell software systems
- 70 patents relate to hydrogen production and supply
Bob Carter, senior VP of automotive operations at Toyota Motor Sales, USA Inc said, “We believe that when good ideas are shared, great things can happen. The first generation hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, launched between 2015 and 2020, will be critical, requiring a concerted effort and unconventional collaboration between automakers, government regulators, academia and energy providers. By eliminating traditional corporate boundaries, we can speed the development of new technologies and move into the future of mobility more quickly, effectively and economically.”
The patents will remain royalty free until 2020 which it’s hoped will give the rest of the automotive industry time to help develop their own platforms and technologies to bring fuel cell vehicles to the masses.
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