Ferrari patents a flexible hydrogen tank for its sports cars

Ferrari keeps working toward a future where the sports car is both clean and fast. A new patent, uncovered by CarBuzz, describes a striking new type of hydrogen storage tank. It signals that the Italian marque is taking hydrogen increasingly seriously as a zero-emission mobility solution.

A tank that breathes with the fuel

Hydrogen for vehicles is currently stored in heavy, cylindrical tanks. The fuel sits under extreme pressure — in the Toyota Mirai, for example, at roughly 700 bar inside a multilayer carbon-fibre tank. Ferrari takes a different route: a tank made from a deformable material that can expand and contract with the volume of hydrogen, while still withstanding those high pressures.

Ferrari itself compares it to a balloon in a basket. A rigid housing holds the bottom of the flexible bag, while one side rises up to the most important component: a filler neck that lets hydrogen in during refuelling and releases it while driving. By holding that part firmly in place, the design prevents the moving tank from stressing the connection — a possible source of wear or failure over time.

Clever use of space and weight

The patent shows the tank mounted high up, where the boot would normally sit. In a classic mid-engine Ferrari, you would no longer see the engine cover behind you, but the hydrogen tank. The engine would then likely move to the front.

There is good news for handling, though. Hydrogen is much lighter than petrol. A Mirai carries about 5.6 kilograms of hydrogen for some 480 kilometres of range. Less weight also means less energy is needed to get the car moving — an advantage that fits well with using resources sparingly.

Part of a broader hydrogen strategy

The tank does not stand alone. Over the past few years Ferrari has gathered several hydrogen patents, covering both fuel cells and the direct combustion of hydrogen in an engine. Earlier filings even described an upside-down six-cylinder engine, designed to free up room for these very hydrogen tanks.

Whether the technology ever reaches a production car remains uncertain — patents mainly protect ideas. But they show Ferrari laying the groundwork to be ready the moment hydrogen as a fuel matures. Alongside battery-electric driving, a second route toward emission-free mobility is taking shape.

Sources

• CarBuzz — Ferrari Is Getting Serious About Hydrogen Combustion Sports Cars (June 2026)
• Motor Authority — Ferrari patents hydrogen-powered engine
• Hydrogen Europe — Ferrari patents hydrogen internal-combustion engine
• IGEM — Hydrogen under the hood: Ferrari explores hydrogen combustion