In the automotive world, Honda and Toyota have had some rivalries, and it’s not often they openly work together. Recently, that’s starting to change. Just last year, it was reported that most Japanese brands, with the exception of Nissan and Mitsubishi, would be investing in Softbank and Toyota’s Monet Technologies initiative. Beyond that, it’s hard to see the two companies collaborating closely with each other.
But now, it looks like at least Honda’s R&D department will be working with Toyota Motor Corporation to create a mobile power generation system.
This system is called ‘Moving e’, and it’s a combination of a fuel cell bus (modified to carry double the hydrogen and allow people to rest while their batteries charge), portable output devices, and portable batteries. Moving e is aimed at delivering electricity anytime and anywhere during power grid failures.
During this testing period, the two companies aim to combine their existing technologies and test it out in the real world. The Moving e consists of:
- Toyota’s CHARGING STATION fuel cell bus
- Honda’s Power Exporter 9000 portable external power output device
- Two types of Honda’s portable batteries: LiB-AID E500 and Honda Mobile Power Pack (MPP)
- Honda Mobile Power Pack Charge & Supply Concept charger/discharger for MPP
Isn’t it nice to see Toyota and Honda working together? Here’s the press release with more.
PRESS RELEASE
Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) and Honda R&D Co., Ltd. (Honda) will create a mobile power generation/output system, Moving e, that consists of a fuel cell bus that can carry a large amount of hydrogen, portable external power output devices and portable batteries, and will begin demonstration testing of the system’s ability to deliver electricity anytime and anywhere.
When a power grid is damaged during a disaster such as typhoons and rainstorms, people suffer from an interruption in the supply of power to their homes and evacuation centers. To address this issue, Toyota and Honda will bring technologies together to create a mobile power generation/output system and conduct demonstration testing of delivering electricity to people. Taking advantage of its mobility, the Moving e can be utilized as a “phase-free*” system which can be used in times of a disaster to support disaster response by supplying electricity in an affected area, as well as in normal times for routine uses such as supplying power at an event. Through this demonstration testing, the two companies will confirm the actual needs of people and verify usability of the system.The Moving e mobile power generation/output system will consist of
- Toyota’s CHARGING STATION fuel cell bus
- Honda’s Power Exporter 9000 portable external power output device
- Two types of Honda’s portable batteries: LiB-AID E500 and Honda Mobile Power Pack (MPP)
- Honda Mobile Power Pack Charge & Supply Concept charger/discharger for MPP
The CHARGING STATION loaded with all equipment will be driven to the place and the Moving e will supply electricity in actual locations. More specifically, portable external power output devices and portable batteries will be used to take electricity out of the fuel cell bus, which serves as a power source, and feed electricity to electrical appliances.
Developed based on the previous version of Toyota FC Bus, the CHARGING STATION fuel cell bus is equipped with twice as many high-pressure hydrogen tanks that significantly increased the amount of hydrogen it can carry, enabling the CHARGING STATION to feature a high-output and large-capacity power generation capacity (generates 454kWh with maximum output of 18kW). In case of power outage during a disaster, this large capacity enables the Moving e to supply electricity in indoor areas such as an evacuation center, as well as inside vehicles by storing electricity generated by the CHARGING STATION in large-capacity portable batteries, namely Honda Mobile Power Packs and LiB-AID E500 via the Power Exporter 9000.
Furthermore, featuring a space where people can take a nap, the CHARGING STATION can serve not only as a means of transportation but also as a place for people to rest in times of a disaster.
The two companies will verify the effectiveness of the Moving e mobile power generation/output system as a phase-free system through various uses by municipalities and businesses which fulfill the necessary conditions and are willing to cooperate with the testing.
