Toyota Grants Royalty-Free Use Of Over 5K Hydrogen Patents
Last year, Tesla granted every one of its competitors full access to its myriad of patents, in the hope they would, in turn, build more EVs.
This year? Toyota is doing the same with its hydrogen fuel-cell patents to help spur on further FCV development.
The automaker made the announcement Monday during the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, where those interested in building their own Mirai can do so with information gathered from the 5,600-plus patents linked to the FCV. Said patents include “approximately 1,970 patents related to fuel cell stacks, 290 associated with high-pressure hydrogen tanks, 3,350 related to fuel cell system software control and 70 patents related to hydrogen production and supply.”
There is a catch for this access, of course: Royalty-free use of Toyota’s patents related to FCVs will last until the end of “the initial market introduction period,” set to end in 2020. Those who are more interested in building the infrastructure for those FCVs, however, will have unlimited access indefinitely. Toyota also asks that any patents developed from those by the former be shared with the automaker, but does not require any party do so.
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5,870 patents lawyers and renewals fees perhaps $200k each development costs perhaps $300k each so 5,870 patents x $500k = about $3 gigabuck so very roughly, Toyota has spent $3 billion on IP for H2 Fuel Cell cars and it basically of no financial value. and still the infrastructure cost of a hydrogen station is equivalent to providing free Teslas (S-60 on a lease) per H2 vehicle.
Now the Chinese will be able to get into the game. Chinese made 10,000 psi hydrogen tanks. Maybe your local Quikee Mart can stick a Chinese made 10,000 psi hydrogen pump next to their well maintained tire air compressor. What could possibly go wrong?
Cadillac are rumored to be producing a car that runs on laughing gas
Hope they kept the patent on ugly.