Battery case for an electric car - a new invention of Ford
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Battery case for an electric car - a new invention of Ford

Date:09.06.2020

In May 2020, Ford filed an application with the US Patent Office for a unique invention - an inflatable polymer cover with built-in photovoltaic panels. It unfolds and covers the car from all sides like a real cocoon. This invention has two functions at once: charging an electric vehicle's battery and protecting it from the sun, rain and dust. This project is not the only one of its kind, [...]

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    In May 2020 Ford motor company has filed an application with the US Patent Office for a unique invention - an inflatable polymer cover with built-in photovoltaic panels. It unfolds and covers the car from all sides like a real cocoon. This invention has two functions at once: charging an electric vehicle's battery and protecting it from the sun, rain and dust. This project is not the only one of its kind, but it could become one of the most convenient and effective options.

    How the case will look like

    У patent application The engineers described the development and gave examples of how it would look in reality.

    The cocoon cover is a flexible shield assembled from ultra-thin organic solar panels. They are located on the roof of the electric vehicle in a special box with pneumatic chambers. The driver presses a button, the air pump starts, and the shield begins to unfold, covering the car from all sides. The cover is made of a polymer with a memory effect, which is why it fits snugly to the body and is not blown away by the wind. As soon as the car starts moving, the cover automatically retracts back into the box.

    The purpose of the invention is that the solar panels will capture the sun's energy and charge the traction battery with it. While the electric vehicle is parked in an open-air car park, it is charged for free.

    It is unclear whether this device will be put into mass production and whether engineers will retain the same design as specified in the application. It is currently planned that it will be used on the new Ford Mustang Mach-E model, or subsequent models of Ford electric vehicles.

    While the development remains only on paper and diagrams, electric car owners are already expressing their doubts:

    • Will the awning scratch the paint when disassembling or assembling?
    • Does it help to protect the interior from heat or does it make it even hotter?
    • Is it safe for moisture and dust to get on the solar panels?

    The cocoon cover is not the only innovative development of Ford

    There were also heated belts, a technology that turns a car into a mobile cinema, and a vehicle with a round interior. But as the Ford representative office said, the patent application indicates that the technology is only being developed, and it is not a fact that it will be implemented and put into mass production.

    Similar devices from other car manufacturers

    The idea of charging batteries from the sun is not new. Such developments are patented by one car company or another. Some of them go into mass production, while others remain on paper.

    Gazelle Tech

    In the spring of 2020, the French startup Gazelle Tech has launched an awning that automatically opens when parked. It unfolds from the rear bumper. The awning is made of flexible ASCA thin-film solar panels that can be installed on uneven and curved surfaces (conventional solar panels cannot) and can withstand up to 50,000 deployment and retraction cycles.

    This awning can increase the range of an electric vehicle by 15 km, provided that it is left in the sun for at least 8 hours. The company plans to increase this figure to 30 km over the next 3 years.

    Lightyear

    This is a startup from the Netherlands. In 2019, it presented an electric car with solar panels - Lightyear One. The panels are built into the trunk, hood, and roof of the car. The total area is 5 m2. They are very durable and do not bend (they can withstand the weight of an adult man).

    The One electric car has a range of 725 km. Built-in solar cells provide the main battery charging: this is up to 70-90% of all the energy that comes to it, but only if the car drives no more than 40 km per day.

    Hyundai Sonata with solar panels Solar Roof

    Photovoltaic cells are installed only on the roof of the electric vehicle and provide the traction battery with an additional charge. According to engineers' calculations, this charge should be enough for 1300 additional kilometres per year, provided that the car is parked for at least 6 hours every day in the open air.

    The advantage of Ford development

    The Ford dome cover is more convenient than solar panels and awnings because it covers a larger area. This allows the photovoltaic cells to capture more solar energy in less time.

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