Ford’s EV battery pack may keep put for module substitute

Ford is taking a look at methods to make electrical car battery packs simpler to restore—particularly as their cooling methods change into extra superior—a patent submitting signifies.

The doc, which was revealed by the US Patent and Trademark Workplace (USPTO) Dec. 12, 2024, after being submitted by Ford Jun. 12, 2023, particulars how battery modules could possibly be changed with out eradicating your entire pack from the car. This might cut back restore prices and could possibly be greener, probably permitting some packs to be rehabbed with new modules quite than changed.

Ford discusses retaining the frequent structure of a battery pack mounted below the ground, with a number of modules that in flip comprise a number of battery cells. Electrical terminals with detachable caps and spring-loaded connectors would permit modules to be eliminated as wanted.

The patent submitting additionally mentions immersion cooling, by which battery parts are instantly cooled by a non-conductive fluid that will not trigger electrical shorts. Immersion cooling is a comparatively new thought in EV growth, as most fashionable EVs even with liquid cooling use the coolant outdoors modules and/or with a cooling plate. However this necessitates extra {hardware} that makes accessing battery modules extra sophisticated.

Patent picture of Ford battery pack designed for simpler module substitute

Different automakers, similar to Mercedes-Benz, have thought of going the opposite manner utterly, towards air-cooling. The bodily configuration of cells and modules can be being thought of, with Common Motors taking a look at completely different cell preparations to maximise cooling and Canoo designing a structural battery pack with modules interconnected with the car body and cooling system.

It is new territory. Rimac is without doubt one of the solely corporations that has detailed a real immersion cooling system that thermally circumstances every cell at a number of factors (the Cybertruck would possibly qualify for this description too, however Tesla has not but detailed the system). Bringing such tech to the mass market might assist Ford get a leap on others—even Tesla.