Ford sparks debate with patent filing for surprising next-gen vehicle design — here’s how it could impact EV drivers

Ford engineers may have been eating Twix candy bars when they came up with a recent patent filing that was covered by Green Car Reports.

That’s because, just like the crunchy snack, the legacy automaker’s designers are leveraging the power of pairs. And the concept could make electric vehicle charging much faster — and more crowded.

In this case, the design includes two charging ports, one on the front and one on the back, of the EV. Each port would charge part of the battery from one energy source, Green Car Reports reported.

This would be made possible with a unique pack that can be “decoupled” to charge separately. For flexibility, it could be relinked to juice up conventionally, as well, the story added.

“The tandem charging would be accomplished with an adapter that would split power from one connector to reach the two charge ports on the vehicle,” the publication’s Stephen Edelstein wrote.

The schematic is among numerous EV-related innovations landing on desks in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Ford also has a design for modular batteries that can be removed, making repairs cheaper. General Motors filed paperwork for a dual-port charger for commercial vehicles to shorten power-up time. On the luxury side, Porsche has already split the Macan 800-volt battery into two 400-volt subpacks to improve charge speeds, according to the automaker.

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However, there’s also a hiccup to Ford and GM’s two-port concept, as noted by one Green Car reader. “I’m opposed to allowing one oversized vehicle to hog two charging ports at a station. I’ve had to wait for a charger on road trips a couple times,” they said, referencing GM’s patent.

The concern applies to Ford’s idea, too, especially if it goes mainstream. But the number of charging stations nationwide is growing, with companies like North Carolina’s IONNA planning to add 30,000 fast-charging bays within the next five years.

Tesla has a worldwide network of 60,000-plus Superchargers, with many of them stateside. Special adapters have made the brand’s bays accessible to other makes, per the company.

The U.S. Federal Highway Administration said there are 192,000 public stalls of varying speeds, with more being added each week. The government stated in another report that by 2030, there could be 33 million EVs on American roads, which would need 28 million charging stalls. Many would be home- or work-based units.

That’s why the government invested at least $521 million in grants to help build out the network in 2024, per a release. However, EV programs and funding are now in limbo under President Donald Trump amid widespread government cutbacks, per the Associated Press.

Regardless, the American EV market remains strong. Nearly 130,000 new and used cleaner rides were bought in January, both beating prior-year numbers, according to Cox Automotive.

Incentives — including $7,500 and $4,000 tax breaks for new and used EVs, respectively —  remain available. That’s in addition to the $1,500 in gas/maintenance costs you can save annually by switching.

What’s more, each EV that replaces a gas burner prevents thousands of pounds of harmful, heat-trapping air pollution from being spewed each year. Those tailpipe gases are contributing to planet overheating that’s linked by NASA to increased risks for a range of severe weather events.

For the patent’s part, it’s encouraging to see brainstorming to improve EV tech. The question now is whether Ford will ever pull its dual-port idea out of the wrapper. Green Car reported that the idea originated in 2021.

For some motorists, it could provide more of a conundrum than a benefit during travel.

Another Green Car reader shared an alternative solution: “It is better to pursue high-voltage charging.”

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