Ford patents mobile charging solution for EVs like the Mach-E — by towing them

[FutureBoy]

Ford patents mobile charging solution for EVs like the Mach-E — by towing them

Electric vehicles are prevalent now, but long-distance travel using EVs that are non-Teslas still tends to be challenging. This was, at least, the conclusion drawn by motoring publication Car and Driver following its “EV 1000” test, which evaluated how long mainstream electric vehicles today can complete a 1,000-mile journey. The Ford Mustang Mach-E, for one, ended up completing the event faster than rival EVs from other legacy companies, but it was still several hours behind the event’s Teslas.

Ford acknowledges that the charging infrastructure for electric vehicles today is still lacking, and to address this, the company seems to be looking at ways to ensure that its vehicles could be recharged. Apart from building more chargers, for example, Ford has also patented a system that involves charging an EV like the Mustang Mach-E by towing it while its regenerative braking system is engaged.

Ford’s patent, titled “BATTERY CHARGING BY TOWED REGENERATIVE BRAKING,” was filed in December 2020, and it was published earlier this month. It describes a system that would allow electric cars to recharge their batteries while they are being towed by an RV or semi-truck. Other vehicles like road trains or even a passenger car with appropriate performance features could accomplish this as well.

Ford’s patent describes a notable degree of communication between the towing vehicle and the EV being towed. As noted by The Drive, if the tow vehicle was going uphill, the level of regeneration would likely have to change. Communication between the EV and the towing vehicle could be accomplished through Bluetooth technology or through the internet. Ford even mentions having the towed EVs operate autonomously.

“The electric vehicle, which is towed by the towing vehicle, may be operated autonomously. The autonomous driving of the electric vehicle may be in combination with signals from the towing vehicle, such that the electric vehicle may drive its wheels and steering column to match an operation of the towing vehicle. Furthermore, the electric vehicle may autonomously drive to maintain a desired distance between it and the towing vehicle, which may correspond to a gap less tahan a threshold gap,” Ford wrote.

While Ford’s “mobile” charging solution may seem impractical, any system that would allow electric cars to charge their batteries would likely be welcome for drivers. Ford might need to ensure that its vehicles’ software is up to the challenge before such a system is rolled out, however, especially amidst reports from Norway indicating that some Mach-E units have overheated and stopped due to the overuse of their regenerative braking features.

Read Ford’s mobile charging patent below.

Ford Patent – BATTERY CHARGING BY TOWED REGENERATIVE BRAKING by Simon Alvarez on Scribd

 

[FutureBoy]

I know there were a number of people wanting this exact feature on the CT.

Here is a patent on it for the Mach-E. Looking at the illustrations, I have to wonder if this is really a good idea. Looks like you could get a charge plus a cracked windshield from rocks thrown up by the truck tires. LOL. That poor Mach-E is going to get all beat up by the time it gets charged up.

 

[John K]

I am waiting to be towed to work…

 

[Ogre]

I had a weird idea where you had an autonomous sled which parked at the bottom of a mountain pass and when you roll up in an EV, it tows you to the top, so instead of burning 50+ miles of range climbing a steep pass, you gain 10 miles of range without too much time lost.

I doubt it would ever happen because it requires some fairly specific conditions, but there are a couple mountain passes I regularly go over where it would be neat.

(But mostly this sounds like it has near zero real world application)

 

[Crissa]

I don't know how valid this patent is. Seems an obvious solution, not something patentable.

-Crissa

 

[JBee]

The more interesting part is the autonomous following with distance hold. You can convoy slipstream cars reducing consumption for all vehicles in the train. I'm thinking that might be what they mean with "roadtrain". Regen braking to charge should work on any EV, how would the EV know? I think engineering explained done it with his M3 alreadt to test it a while back. So not really new.

 

[CyberGus]

So, Ford solved wireless charging AND Full Self-Driving hmmm

 

[Diehard]

AAA tow truck may have to tow you only half the distance to your home when you run out of juice.

I thought I heard current Tesla vehicles are not supposed to be towed for regen. I certainly hope that is not the case with CT. I would love to have both a neutral mode where motor is disengaged and it can be towed with no resistance and a regen tow mode.

I can see this being very useful when an ICE is helping an EV or when there is not much time to wait otherwise when I am out of juice, I would prefer to plug into another EV and wait. Hopefully there will be a standard and tech to support semi-fast charging EV to EV with a network that transfer funds automatically from recipient to provider. This will provide more security to all EV owners Especially in remote areas with developing charging infrastructure.

 

[Ogre]

AAA tow truck may have to tow you only half the distance to your home when you run out of juice.

I thought I heard current Tesla vehicles are not supposed to be towed for regen. I certainly hope that is not the case with CT. I would love to have both a neutral mode where motor is disengaged and it can be towed with no resistance and a regen tow mode.

Tesla recommends if you tow that you flatbed the vehicle. They do have a tow mode which I think is near zero resistance from the drivetrain. Regen tow seems pretty unlikely to me. People have already towed Teslas and Rivians to recharge them and it works. I just don't think Tesla is going to make a specific way to support this.

I can see this being very useful when an ICE is helping an EV or when there is not much time to wait otherwise when I am out of juice, I would prefer to plug into another EV and wait. Hopefully there will be a standard and tech to support semi-fast charging EV to EV with a network that transfer funds automatically from recipient to provider. This will provide more security to all EV owners Especially in remote areas with developing charging infrastructure.

I also don't see a fast DC jumpstart happening. Definitely not with some sort of cash transfer built in. You aren't going to move more than a few dollars worth of juice anyhow.

 

[Idea Of The Day]

What I find funny is that Ford PATENTED this? What for?

Turning a motor to generate electricity is basic science. Motors and generators are fundamentally the same technology. Give a motor power, it turns. Turn the motor, it generates power like a generator.

What's the point of a patent when it's not even commercially useful? Do they intend to create a (paid) roadside service to drag EVs around when they need power?

If they intend to sell roadside power assistance to stranded drivers, wouldn't it be easier for a towing company to bring along a power source like a generator or battery pack?

The only other reason is to block other companies from supporting a feature that lets you call a tow you when you're out of power, then hit a button to have it generate power as it tows you home.

If that's the case, they could just as easily tow you to the nearest charging station. They're everywhere.

 

[JBee]

AAA tow truck may have to tow you only half the distance to your home when you run out of juice.

I thought I heard current Tesla vehicles are not supposed to be towed for regen. I certainly hope that is not the case with CT. I would love to have both a neutral mode where motor is disengaged and it can be towed with no resistance and a regen tow mode.

I can see this being very useful when an ICE is helping an EV or when there is not much time to wait otherwise when I am out of juice, I would prefer to plug into another EV and wait. Hopefully there will be a standard and tech to support semi-fast charging EV to EV with a network that transfer funds automatically from recipient to provider. This will provide more security to all EV owners Especially in remote areas with developing charging infrastructure.

V2V and V2G and V2H for the win! :‐)

You can already tow a Tesla. Theres no way for the car to tell its been towed unless they use map data and GPS, weather data and/or CV or DOF sensors to detect it and actively block it. Theres a few on utube. The CT will do it too, but if you have another Ct you might as well use a L2 charge cable on the inverter out or grab a Orca charger adapter.

 

[CyberGus]

What I find funny is that Ford PATENTED this? What for?

Most all patents include "prior art", and show some improvement. The whole patent isn't required to be novel or unique, just the improvement part. In this case, it's probably the inter-vehicle communication.

The problem is that we now have "patent trolls" that buy up patents and then create nothing, build nothing, sell nothing and do nothing except sue other companies that do. So in self-defense, the companies patent anything they can think of, even if it's a completely impractical idea or they have no intention of ever implementing it.

 

[CyberGus]

If passive regen becomes a thing, I'm gonna get my CT a grappling hook and just grab the nearest semi

 

[Idea Of The Day]

...So in self-defense, the companies patent anything they can think of, even if it's a completely impractical idea or they have no intention of ever implementing it.

You are probably right, but even if they're not trying to block companies from adding this kind of feature, it's just plain silly because nobody should expect generating power while being towed to be a better solution than simply towing the stranded EV to a power source.

Even if somebody actually wanted to generate power while towing... it's got a thousand other problems.

 

[Ogre]

If passive regen becomes a thing, I'm gonna get my CT a grappling hook and just grab the nearest semi

It's a good thing that was confirmed in the latest promo video!