Ford will allow competitors access to its patented electric vehicle technologies to accelerate research and development in this area. In 2014, Ford filed more than 400 patents for electric vehicles – a number that represents more than 20% of the more than 2,000 patents generated by the company last year. Among the patents offered are, for example, a balancing system that increases the charging capacity and life of the battery, a regenerative braking system with temperature variation and an interface for monitoring driver behavior data.
"Our goal is innovation. By sharing ideas, companies can solve the biggest challenges and improve the industry," says Kevin Layden, director of Ford's Electrification Programs. "The way to develop the best technology is constant research. By sharing our research with other companies, we will accelerate the advancement of electric vehicle technology to offer even better products to customers."
Ford makes its patents available, for a fee, through the company's technology licensing and commercialization area, or through AutoHarvest – a collaborative licensing and innovation center for car manufacturers. AutoHarvest allows its members to showcase technologies and connect directly with other inventors to explore business opportunities of mutual interest.
"Ford helped found AutoHarvest to bring efficiency and transparency to technology licensing across the automotive industry," says Bill Coughlin, president of Ford Global Technologies, which manages Ford's intellectual property.
Leader in the electric car segment in the United States, Ford has in its portfolio six hybrid or fully electric vehicles: the Focus Electric, the Fusion Hybrid, C-MAX Hybrid and Lincoln MKZ Hybrid and the plug-in hybrids (with charging in the outlet) Fusion Energi and C-MAX Energi.
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