Through innovative battery design and packaging technology, Toyota and its subsidiary Woven Planet have launched a prototype of a lightweight portable hydrogen cylinder, hoping to provide green energy that is convenient for daily life.
A hydrogen cylinder is 40 cm long, 18 cm in diameter, weighs 5 kg when filled with hydrogen, and has a capacity of about 3.3 kWh but that actually depends on the efficiency of the fuel cells that convert hydrogen into other energy sources. For ease of carrying, there is also a small handle on top of the hydrogen cylinder which can be used as a switch.
Depending on the design, a hydrogen tank can be used as an "exchange hydrogen battery" for electric vehicles, electric scooters, and drones, or it can be used in off-grid buildings, using the fuel cells to power houses and heaters. Basically, it is very similar to a gas bottle used for BBQ. You can replace it according to your own needs and usage. After it is used up, you can go to the hydrogen refueling station to refill it with hydrogen. In the future, Toyota and Woven Planet also hope to provide delivery services to the home, delivering canisters to where they are needed.
Toyota wants hydrogen to power Japanese cities. Toyota announced in 2020 that it will launch a town building project "Woven City" near Susano City, Shizuoka Prefecture, combining residential design with autonomous driving, robots, and hydrogen energy. It will naturally test and verify hydrogen tanks there in the future. The project started last year.
（Image：Woven Planet）
