Toyota invites industry to the hydrogen future

Japanese automotive giant, Toyota, is making more than 5600 hydrogen fuel cell patents available royalty-free to accelerate the global development and introduction of innovative fuel cell technologies. The patents include critical technologies developed for the newly launched Toyota Mirai fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV).

Announced at the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, this Toyota initiative will stimulate the development and introduction of innovative fuel cell technologies around the world.

Toyota has a long history of opening its intellectual properties through collaboration and was instrumental in facilitating the widespread adoption of hybrid vehicles by licensing related patents. 

This announcement represents the first time that Toyota has made its patents available free of charge and reflects the company's aggressive support for developing a hydrogen-based society.

The announcement covers only fuel cell-related patents owned entirely by Toyota. Patents related to fuel cell vehicles will be available for royalty-free licenses until the end of 2020. Patents for hydrogen production and supply will remain open for an unlimited duration.

As part of licensing agreements, Toyota will request, but will not require, that other companies share their fuel cell-related patents with Toyota for similar royalty-free use. Toyota will negotiate individual contracts with companies interested in Toyota's fuel cell-related patents.

“The first-generation hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, launched between 2015 and 2020, will be critical, requiring a concerted effort and unconventional collaboration between automakers, government regulators, academia and energy providers,” says Bob Carter, Senior Vice President of Automotive Operations at Toyota Motor Sales USA Inc.

“By eliminating traditional corporate boundaries, we can speed the development of new technologies and move into the future of mobility more quickly, effectively, and economically,” he continues. “At Toyota, we believe that when good ideas are shared, great things can happen.”

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