Toyota Releases Patents on Fuel-Cell Technology

Toyota Motor Corp. is offering free access to nearly 5,700 of its patents related to fuel-cell technology and fueling systems.

Sharing its know-how will help accelerate development, lower costs and promote sales for the systems, Toyota says. The company will provide the patents for free until the end of 2020.

The offer covers only fuel-cell-related patents that are wholly owned by Toyota. They will be made available to makers of cars, buses and forklifts who intend to produce and sell fuel-cell-powered vehicles. Some 70 patents will be available to suppliers who pledge to build hydrogen fueling stations.

Almost all the patents relate to the power stack, hydrogen fuel tanks and system controls. Toyota says it will ask but not require that companies sharing its patents agree to allow Toyota to share their fuel-cell patents in return.