Ford patents F150 EV with toolbox ICE as a range extender

[whynot]

Ford have submitted a patent to use an ICE as a range extender for their proposed F150 EV. (Well, the rest of us would call it a PHEV.) Nothing too remarkable about that.

What is interesting is that the ICE will be mounted/disguised as a removable toolbox in the rear cargo area. If the driver wishes to have more range, they can install the range extender. (I imagine it would be a heavy little sucker, and not exactly a single person lift.) The range extender plugs into the F150 engine management system and has the modes of Maximum Fuel Efficiency, Maximum Power, Maximum Driving Range. When it isn't needed, it can be removed and the F150 runs as a pure EV.

https://www.scribd.com/document/4785...ent#from_embed

It would be interesting to see what size engine would be in the Range Extender (TM). From memory, my old Outlander PHEV use to draw around 20kW of power at 100kph. Just digging through a generator catalogue, a 20kVA generator in a sound enclosure (similar to a tool box) is around $10K and weighs around 990kg. A smaller single phase petrol around 12kVA was around $6K and weighs in at 135kg (without sound enclosure). I am sure that Ford engineers will be able to shave weight and cost of those figures. but it would still be a hefty little sucker.

It will be interesting to see if this comes to market.