Toyota Motor Corporation and its subsidiary, Woven Planet Holdings, Inc. announced on June 2 that they have developed a working prototype of its portable hydrogen cartridge. This cartridge design will facilitate the everyday transport and supply of hydrogen energy to power a broad range of daily life applications in and outside of the home. Toyota and Woven Planet will conduct Proof of Concept (“PoC”) trials in various places, including Woven City, a human-centered smart city of the future currently being constructed in Susono City, Shizuoka Prefecture.

The idea is that the cartridges can be filled up at a fuelling station and then transported anywhere they are needed. Potentially, these cartridges could present one solution to the many challenges of transporting hydrogen.

The cartridge prototypes are 16 inch long, 7 inch in diameter and weigh 5kg. Toyota says the cartridges will be portable, affordable and convenient, making it possible to bring hydrogen to where people work, live and play without needing pipes. It also adds in its press release that they can provide energy to remote areas and can be swiftly dispatched in case of a disaster.

Experts believe low-carbon hydrogen is a viable fuel to decarbonise heavy transport, aviation and hard-to-abate industries, such as steel and cement manufacturing. Toyota says the cartridges can be used in people’s homes but it is not clear for which purpose.