Latest news with #StephenEdelstein
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
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. 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. If you were going to purchase an EV, which of these factors would be most important to you? Cost Battery range Power and speed The way it looks Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. 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." Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
General Motors sparks controversy with innovative proposal to speed up EV charging — here's why people are divided
Reports about an unconventional General Motors patent application for a dual-port charging system in large electric vehicles are drawing some colorful commentary online. "Idiots," one commenter posted on a story about the concept by Green Car Reports. The reader indicated that the tech isn't needed. But there were also some "good idea" and thumbs-up messages given for the patent, as well. At issue is the effort to speed up charging for electric commercial vehicles. Medium- and heavy-duty EVs have big batteries that typically take longer to charge. That's why experts are working on infrastructure that can handle wider voltage ranges, including a universal power-up device being developed in India. The GM patent tackles the issue, too. The Green Car article shows an EV that has multiple charge ports and a battery that is divided into subpacks "that can be connected in parallel." Porsche is already doing this to some extent by splitting its Macan 800-volt battery into two 400-volt subpacks to improve charging, all per Green Car's story and the automaker. The GM concept "allows individual subpacks charged from either a single charge port or both ports simultaneously, instead of charging the entire pack through a single port," the publication's Stephen Edelstein wrote. He added that the tech would be geared for large- and medium-sized vehicles, including Hummers. The innovation is drawing sensible criticism. Another Green Car commenter voiced concern about one EV taking up multiple ports at crowded charging stations. The patent isn't the only innovation on the table to handle heavy-duty charging. Megawatt-scale power stations are an option that would be able to juice battery-powered semis, but Green Car reported that the infrastructure needed to scale the tech is tough to roll out quickly. Danfoss and Volvo are working on a 24-hour semi fleet in the Netherlands that uses a suitcase-sized device to manage how the rigs energize. The unit provides an overnight recharge and around-the-clock service by powering up during 15-minute load/unload periods on regional routes. It's part of the effort to electrify practically every form of transportation as we transition to a cleaner energy system. Our motorized movement produces 28% of U.S. heat-trapping air pollution, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. What's more, diesel fumes can aggravate lung problems and increase risks for other health concerns, per the federal report. If you were going to purchase an EV, which of these factors would be most important to you? Cost Battery range Power and speed The way it looks Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. For GM's part, an Ars Technica story detailed a patent for a two-port design that allows for the EV to charge in one port while delivering power to another machine through the other outlet. It's not clear if the patents covered by Green Car and Ars are related. As to when the unique concepts will be implemented? Ars writer Jonathan M. Gitlin puts the unusual ideas into perspective well. "I have no idea whether GM's patent will show up on a production EV — car companies patent many more ideas than they ever get around to building," he wrote. "But I am intrigued." Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
