Toyota is to provide over 5,680 patents related to hydrogen and fuel-cell technology to car makers on a royalty-free basis. Many of the patents relate to the new Toyota Mirai, which will come to market in 2016.

The announcement covers only fuel cell-related patents wholly owned by Toyota. Patents related to fuel-cell vehicles will be available for royalty-free licenses until the end of 2020, while patents for hydrogen production and supply will remain open for an unlimited duration.

A spokesman for the company said: “As part of licensing agreements, Toyota will request — but will not require — that other companies share their fuel cell-related patents with Toyota for similar royalty-free use.”

Bob Carter, senior vice-president of automotive operations at Toyota Motor Sales US, said: “At Toyota, we believe that when good ideas are shared, great things can happen.

"The first-generation hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles — scheduled for launch between 2015 and 2020 — will be critical, requiring a concerted effort and unconventional collaboration between car makers, government regulators, academia and energy providers. By eliminating traditional corporate boundaries, we can speed the development of new technologies and move into the future of mobility more quickly, effectively and economically.”