Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) has announced today that it will exhibit at Japan Mobility Show Bizweek 2024, to be held at Makuhari Messe in Chiba Prefecture from Tuesday, October 15 to Friday, October 18.
Japan Mobility Show Bizweek 2024 is an event where the mobility industry and startups that will lead the next generation interact to co-create toward the shared goal of a sustainable future. At the event, Toyota will exhibit technology related to carbon neutrality from among its various sustainability initiatives.
For Japan, a country with limited land and resources, “energy policy” is a significant challenge for both the nation and its industries. Given this situation, it is crucial for the mobility sector, which has a broad base and operates in the B to C market, to act as a pacesetter, fostering collaboration across the entire industry.
In pursuit of achieving carbon neutrality through a multi-pathway approach, Toyota will promote co-creation with startups and other companies in the areas of 1) initiatives towards realizing a hydrogen society and 2) renewable energy management, both of which contribute to the stability of energy supply and the reduction of environmental impact. By fostering new partnerships and driving technological innovation, Toyota aims to strengthen its efforts to help create a sustainable future.
The main exhibits will be as follows.
(1) Liquid hydrogen-powered GR Corolla
Toyota began racing with a hydrogen-powered Corolla running on gaseous hydrogen in 2021. Since 2023, it has been competing in endurance races in Japan and abroad using a liquid hydrogen-powered GR Corolla.
The actual vehicle that has been competing in races will be on display at the JAMA joint exhibition booth, where Toyota will present its continued activities to refine cars and people through racing and to take on challenges and evolve together with partners in industry, government, and academia to achieve carbon neutrality.
(2) Portable Hydrogen Cartridge
Toyota is working on research and development toward realizing a carbon-neutral society based on a multi-pathway approach with diverse viable energy options. Hydrogen is the ultimate clean energy that emits no CO2 during use, and CO2 emissions can also be minimized during the production process when renewable energy sources such as wind and solar are used. Hydrogen can be used to generate electricity in fuel cell systems and can also be used as a combustion fuel.
These portable hydrogen cartridges will be exhibited for the first time in Japan at this event. The technology Toyota has cultivated in the development of FCEVs is used to reduce the size and weight of hydrogen tanks, which were previously large and difficult to carry, to a size that can be carried by hand. They are designed to make hydrogen a familiar and safe energy source that can be used in a variety of everyday situations.
A hydrogen-powered cooker developed together with Rinnai Corporation will also be exhibited as an example of hydrogen use, where hydrogen in portable cartridges is used for fuel cells to generate electricity or for cooking by combusting hydrogen gas in portable hydrogen cartridges.
Through this exhibition, Toyota aims to find matches with the technologies and ideas of various companies and startups from a variety of perspectives, including both providing services and developing and selling devices using portable hydrogen cartridges. In doing so, Toyota will further strengthen its efforts to use portable hydrogen cartridges and help create a hydrogen society.
(3) Sweep Energy Storage System
Creating a carbon-neutral society requires not only solving energy issues but also building a circular economy. Toyota emphasizes the circular economy in its car manufacturing as well, having long since worked on designs that minimize waste as well as the recycling and reuse of raw materials. In light of the rapid popularization of electrified vehicles in particular, including hybrid cars (HEVs), Toyota is carrying out initiatives such as developing resource-efficient and long-life batteries as well as reusing used batteries recovered from end-of-life electrified vehicles.
The sweep energy storage system that will be exhibited at this event utilizes used batteries from electrified vehicles using Toyota’s original sweep technology* for battery control. In this system, various types of used batteries with different degrees of deterioration can be reused to maximize each battery’s remaining energy storage capacity. It will contribute to a stable supply of electricity and the spread of renewable energy in combination with solar, wind, and other renewable energy power generation systems, which tend to result in an unstable supply of electricity.
Toyota has been conducting research and development on the sweep energy storage system together with JERA Corporation (JERA) since 2018. In 2022, the world’s first large-capacity sweep energy storage system was installed at JERA’s Yokkaichi Thermal Power Station for demonstration testing.
Through the exhibition, Toyota aims to find matches with technologies and ideas that can improve the sweep energy storage system and allow more affordable and stable operation, such as traceability technology for used batteries and technology that can dramatically shorten and reduce battery replacement work. Toyota will contribute to carbon neutrality by building a circular economy to help create a sustainable future.
* Technology to freely control the DC and AC charging and discharging of a series of batteries by rapidly switching them on and off in microseconds.
SOURCE: Toyota
