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“Who says it has to be one big tank ? “

Crumple zones, car accidents, sparks, and safety pretty much.
Since it would add to weight to use the wasted space and have a reasonable amount of built in safety in tanks in those wasted spaces, it’s “best” to have one tank, reasonably protected somewhere low and central.
But still, I hear ya on the wasted space.

Crumple zones, remember the Ford Pinto ? ran off of gasoline.
Most cars today have the gas tank behind the trunk pan.
Most accidents are either head on or T-Bone, or side wipes.
There is a inherent risk to everything.

Look at the wheel wells in a trunk of a car in relation to the truck pan and quarter panels.
Modular smaller tanks can be placed on top of the wheel wells.
Put the spare tires under the hoods if there is room like the Volts Wagon and use the spare tire ares for the tanks.
Ever look behind the panels inside of a car's interior on a 2 door car or coupe ? ... empty wasted space where they could place the car's computer, or other components that aren't dangerous to the passengers to make room up front for the spare tire.
They are even forging metal panels today to fix a battery in the trunk on cars.
They can forge stamp metal panels in the car's trunk to accommodate a natural gas tank set into the space horizontally and then place a truck board over it to place baggage or other things in the trunk.
They need to rethink of where things are placed in a car.
Does the car's computer have to be under the hood ?
On some cars with the computer under the air cleaner it takes up a lot of space.
Does the car's battery have to be under the hood ? or engine bay ?
Back in the 30s, 40s they have the battery in a lot of cars under the right passenger's feet..... they just need to forge stamp the metal panels to accommodate that.
On front wheel drive cars ? why the hump in the middle in the floor panel ? design and then forge stamp a place in that area to accommodate a battery.