Ford has filed a patent with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for a dual-port solution that allows multiple electric vehicles to charge in series from the same charging station.
First discovered by XeBuzz, the system described in the patent application uses two-way charging capability. But instead of charging or discharging through a single charging port, this solution allows vehicles to do both, drawing power through one charging port and transferring power to another via a second port.
In the patent application, Ford says this can be done with AC power, including a home charging station and wall outlet, or a DC fast charging station. And it’s not necessarily limited to car charging.
Lightning Ford F-150 2022 Smart Backup Power
Ford also proposes use in vehicle-to-grid (V2G) applications, potentially allowing a range of vehicles to draw energy from the grid, supply energy back to the grid, or share charges between vehicles. media, depending on the software.
While the patent filing is by no means proof of intent to manufacture, this does sound like a great addition to the Indoor Integration System currently offered on the Ford F-150 Lightning. , allowing the pickup to serve as an emergency home electricity backup source.
In addition to keeping the lights on during a power outage, the technology could also be applied to various V2G scenarios discussed by automakers and power companies. such as mesh padding using EV pools to absorb excess energy for later use.
Ford E Transit 2022
Or maybe it could be part of fee profile optimization between powered electric vehicles and Ford’s Pro business. Helping businesses charge fleets of electric vehicles in a way that minimizes electricity costs is a key part of Ford’s plan to sell more work-oriented electric vehicles.
This also appears similar to last year’s patent from General Motors, also discussed the use of dual charging ports for increased flexibility. With the shared goal of smarter, cost-effective charging, it wouldn’t be surprising if many automakers with fleet investments are seeing a solution very close to the same.
