Ford Patents Non-Traditional Method for Battery Replacement Ev

A recently discovered Ford patent application details an EV battery swap system with an unusual design.

Most battery swap systems so far have been designed to work with floor-mounted battery packs, but a patent application announced by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on May 5 and originally filed by Ford in 2018 requires drivers to use the vehicle's own power to complete the swap. Live-up docking stations are being discussed.

As described in the application, the vehicle will be equipped with a battery module that can be individually disconnected and replaced. These modules are accessed through the edge of the vehicle, so the vehicle is pulled up to the docking station as if parked on a charger.

The potential advantage of this system is that it eliminates the need to remove and process the entire battery pack from under the vehicle.This can be tricky due to the weight of the pack. Ford also mentions self-aligning connectors for battery modules that facilitate the docking and undocking process. According to the automaker, the docking station could also function as a charging hub.

Ford says this battery swap system is an attractive idea because replacing an EV battery eliminates long charging times, but has lagged behind commercialization, from a wide range of vehicles, including both Ev and hybrid vehicles, as well as unmanned aerial vehicles (Uav) "ships, such as submarines, or ro."

However, Chinese automaker Nio operates a large network of swapping stations in its home country, aiming to expand into Europe.

In the United States, stellantis is selling its own swapping system that it has agreed to test on the 2024 Fiat 500e.