Ford develops portable generator for F-150 EV, possible EREV

[mkhuffman]

Ford has developed and patented a portable and removable gasoline powered generator for the electric F-150 truck. Here is the patent:
https://patentswarm.com/patents/US10773602B2

I wonder if someone at Ford has a similar idea to develop a portable generator that will fit the "frunk" of the Mustang Mach-E for owners who have range anxiety and/or limited public charging facilities. This type of generator will convert the BEV Mach-E into a EREV which is what the Chevy Volt and Cadillac ELR were.

I am curious to see the diagram for the generator. The link requires a user account. Do you mind sharing an image of the patent drawing?

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[Carsinmyblood]

Not a crazy idea, having the ability to charge while camping or at a worksite in the winter.

F150 is a workhorse. Job site power is sometimes rare.

Of course, a few gallons a gas will still only get the mpg of today's trucks. 2 gallons into a generator will only gettcha 20 to 22 mpg, minus losses.

 

[jhalkias]

If you think Foed is goino to start building charging stations… why? It doesn’t make good sense for them to do so.

May be part of the reason the quoted poster is banned - So I don't think he will see your response.

 

[louibluey]

I am curious to see the diagram for the generator. The link requires a user account. Do you mind sharing an image of the patent drawing?

Definitely something sketchy about that original link, at least my computer/browser did not like it. (not the OP as far as I know, he has been posting at EV forums as long as I have been reading them, almost a decade now)

The patent number was in the link, you can see the issued patent at Google Patents: U.S. Patent No. 10,773,602, Electrified vehicles with removable and interchangeable range extending generators

 

[louibluey]

Note that what was actually patented is defined by the legal claims (the legal rights granted by the USPTO). The issued claims of the '602 patent are at columns 8-10 of the pdf from the link above.

Sometimes the patent examiner is very clear why he or she allowed the patent claims (which were changed (amended) several times during the patent prosecution process). Here are the lines from the claims (public record) which highlight what elements of the claims (in addition to the several or many other lines of the claims) that the patent examiner felt merited an issued patent:

Claim 1 reason for allowance - wherein the generator includes locating studs received within openings of the cargo space.

Claim 15 reason for allowance - a control system configured to control the power outputted by each of the battery pack and the generator during a drive cycle; and a human machine interface in communication with the control system and configured to receive an operating mode input for controlling the generator during the drive cycle.

Claim 24 reason for allowance - connection system including a first connector recessed into a floor of the truck bed and a second connector protruding from a bottom wall of the generator.

An issued patent is presumed valid, but if it becomes problematic to a competitor down the road, especially a competitor with deep pockets, there are several ways to challenge it. Once challenged, either at the USPTO, or in court, many patent claims fail.

 

[mkhuffman]

Rivian applied for a patent on an auxiliary battery that looks like it fits in the exact same place the Ford generator does. I think I like the battery idea better, but if you have no place to charge, the generator is the only solution. You could put an extra fuel tank in the bed behind the generator which I am sure would be very safe. ;-)

 

[Jimrpa]

Perhaps this concept makes sense for an F-150 use case, but I really don’t like the idea for a BEV use case. You’re just re-introducing all of the complexity, moving parts, and emissions of a fuel burning engine that you spent time getting rid of. I saw that there was a company that had developed essentially “battery gas cans” (essentially stackable battery packs where each module was in an oversized gas can format and held enough charge to be able to provide charge to add about 20-30 miles of range to a BEV). I’d say that, if you’re going on a trip through the Gobi or the atacama or something, you grab a couple of these ?

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