Fuel cells to power KIDDI mobile
Link: Fuel cells to power KIDDI mobile
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.
