September 30, 2005

Fuel cells to power KIDDI mobile

by Brian Turner

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Japanese mobile phone network KDDI is planning to demo a pair of prototype handsets, both powered by fuel cells, next month. The carrier hopes to have versions available for its consumers to try by March 2006.

KDDI co-developed the handsets with Toshiba and Hitachi. The Toshiba handset is a modified A5509T, which has a direct methanol fuel cell built on the back. This is located above a standard internal Lithium-ion battery. The fuel cell has a refillable 7cc tank, which can contain enough concentrated methanol to provide 2.5 times the operational duration of the regular battery. The methanol is in a 99.5 per cent solution.

The Hitachi phone is a W32H, adapted to incorporate a fuel cell on the display-side of the clamshell handset. Hitachi’s fuel-cell system also uses methanol, but at a concentration of no more than 60 per cent, and its reservoir can hold only 3cc of the liquid.

Both cells have a 300mW power output.

KDDI is demonstrating the phones at CEATEC, which opens in Japan on 4 October.

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