Tesla got the ball rolling, and now Ford Motor Company has picked that ball up and has opened their electronic vehicle (EV) patents, allowing other companies to benefit from the technology. Tesla’s Elon Musk made a deal that his EV technology would be made free to anyone who wanted it as long as they also released their technology patents for free.
Business Finance News reported that Director of Ford Electrification Programs, Kevin Layden, released a statement saying that the automaker had a goal of innovation. He felt, as Musk does, that the road to the best technology is through the constant development. Sharing the company’s EV tech with other companies brings more eyes and minds into the technology equation to provide the best possible product to customers.
The move by Ford is a bit different from Tesla’s patent offering in a couple of ways. One way is that Tesla offers only battery powered automobiles where Ford has both fully electric and hybrid vehicles. They are releasing the tech patents for their entire EV stable.
The other way, according to Fortune, is that Ford Motor Company is not giving away the patents. Instead the automaker is licensing the patents for a fee. The price will depend on the specific technology according to John Cangany, a spokesman for Ford. He said that the intent of the automaker is to make the technology more accessible and reasonably priced.
BidnessETC says that Ford has 650 EV patents and while close to 1,000 EV technology patents pending. All those patents indicate the Blue Oval may be preparing to disrupt the auto market with the potential for a number of new EV offering in the works. The EV patents from Ford can be accessed for free by anyone by contacting AutoHarvest. AutoHarvest is a marketplace backed by Ford, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, General Motors and Hyundai, that helps bring research and technology from the companies together to expand potential business opportunities and grow technology.
Other automobile makers have opened up some of their patents. Toyota announced that 5,600 patents regarding hydrogen fuel space would be released and BMW has opened up licensing for their EV technology. So, while Ford is joining the EV tech sharing race, they are not the first, and Tesla’s offering still seems better, being free. Although, Ford Motor Company has released one patent for free. They opened up the technology behind it seating foam that is soy-based at no charge.
By Cletus Dillwood
Photo courtesy Ford Motor Company