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August 31, 2023 by Adam Malik
From Ford’s patent filing, the backup battery pack would sit on the roof of the vehicle
A backup battery pack on an electric vehicle’s roof? That could be the case soon after Ford applied for a patent for such a contraption.
According to the patent, the pack looks like something you would see being carried on the roof rack of a vehicle.
The move comes as range anxiety and concerns around charging infrastructure scare off consumers, particularly those in Canada.
The proposed backup battery pack would sit on the car’s roof. It would give drivers extra battery power if or when needed. Ideally, this would reduce concerns about range and provide drivers with extra power so they can make it to the nearest charging station.
The pack doesn’t need to be permanent. The patent suggests that the roof-resting addition could be “rented or leased prior to an off-roading trip.” Apart from being removable, the battery packs would also be compatible with multiple EV models.
Of course, this raises questions about weight. Battery packs already add about 1,000 pounds, if not more, to vehicles. So how much would this backup weigh and how would the driver install the pack on their roof?
Car and Driver speculated that Ford may go opt for a smaller capacity battery pack. It noted that “the original Prius plug-in hybrid’s 4.4-kWh battery hit the scales at a manufacturer-claimed 176 pounds.”
Where Ford wants to put a backup battery
From Ford’s patent filing, the backup battery pack would sit on the roof of the vehicle
A backup battery pack on an electric vehicle’s roof? That could be the case soon after Ford applied for a patent for such a contraption.
According to the patent, the pack looks like something you would see being carried on the roof rack of a vehicle.
The move comes as range anxiety and concerns around charging infrastructure scare off consumers, particularly those in Canada.
The proposed backup battery pack would sit on the car’s roof. It would give drivers extra battery power if or when needed. Ideally, this would reduce concerns about range and provide drivers with extra power so they can make it to the nearest charging station.
The pack doesn’t need to be permanent. The patent suggests that the roof-resting addition could be “rented or leased prior to an off-roading trip.” Apart from being removable, the battery packs would also be compatible with multiple EV models.
Of course, this raises questions about weight. Battery packs already add about 1,000 pounds, if not more, to vehicles. So how much would this backup weigh and how would the driver install the pack on their roof?
Car and Driver speculated that Ford may go opt for a smaller capacity battery pack. It noted that “the original Prius plug-in hybrid’s 4.4-kWh battery hit the scales at a manufacturer-claimed 176 pounds.”
