Toyota introduces new hydrogen cartridge for transport sector

Toyota has launched a working prototype of a hydrogen cartridge that could help clean energy use in transport.

The company along with its subsidiary Woven Planet will now conduct Proof of Concept trials in various places including Woven City and in Shizuoka Prefecture in Japan.

Hydrogen has long been considered one of the greenest ways of fuelling transport in place of combustion engines – however there are significant safety concerns that must be addressed.

According to the International Consortium for Fire, Safety, Health and the Environment, the two prime dangers from fuel cell and hydrogen-powered vehicles are the danger of electrical shock and the flammability of the fuel.

Hydrogen for powering vehicles can come via liquid hydrogen or by reforming hydrogen sources like alcohols, methane and propane, which can create flammable gas in the vicinity. One spark could then be deadly.

A properly designed hydrogen cartridge could potentially avoid these issues. One of the benefits of using hydrogen itself instead of reformed hydrogen is carbon neutrality as no carbon dioxide is emitted when burned.

The trials in Woven City will help us learn how to best transform hydrogen into a familiar, well-used, and well-loved form of energy, the company said.