Toyota kickstarting fuel cell future with patent release, In an effort to get other automakers building fuel cell-powered cars and help fuel suppliers open new hydrogen-fueling stations, Toyota announced today it would make 5,680 of its patents available for use on a royalty-free basis.
This announcement follows the release of the Toyota Mirai fuel cell car at the 2014 Los Angeles auto show. Fuel cells capture electricity released from the combination of oxygen and hydrogen molecules. That electricity can then power the drive motor in an electric car.
Although fuel cell cars can gather oxygen from the air, they need to carry highly pressurized hydrogen tanks. There is currently very little infrastructure to support filling hydrogen tanks around the country. Toyota's patent release could spur more automakers to build fuel cell cars, creating a demand for more hydrogen stations.
