Toyota Is Offering Royalty-Free Patents for Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technology to Other Auto Manufacturers

Because it's not about competition, it's about saving the environment.

IT'S ABOUT SAVING THE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE

Many auto manufacturers have turned to electric vehicles to limit carbon emissions, but these Toyotas aren't ready to give up their combustion engines.

According to the president of Toyota Motors, Akio Toyoda, there should be options besides fossil fuels and electric vehicles.

"On top of that, the enemy is carbon, not internal combustion engines," he said. "We shouldn't just focus on one option."

"Based on various technologies that we have already used so far, I think there might be a way to make use of internal combustion engines for carbon neutrality and even develop it.

During the COP 26 UN climate change summit, six major carmakers — including General Motors and Mercedes Benz — pledged to eliminate the use of fossil fuels in cars by 2040.

While Toyota plans to have 15 EV models available by 2025, they didn't join that group.

Instead, the Japanese automaker is experimenting with hydrogen-powered vehicles.

Here's how it works and why it's good for the environment: The chemical reaction between hydrogen fuel mixing with oxygen in the air creates enough energy to move the car. The only byproduct is water, which comes out the back of the vehicle.

But hydrogen-filling stations are rare, and not many other auto manufacturers have gotten in on the hydrogen fuel combustion engine.

Toyota holds over 5,000 patents on hydrogen fuel cell technology and is offering them to other auto manufacturers royalty-free, just to encourage more use of this alternative fuel.

Because it's not about competition, it's about saving the environment.