Ford is throwing open its electric car patent portfolio, offering rivals access in the hope of driving EV development, though unlike Tesla it will be charging a fee. The IP will include technology around better battery charging, regenerative braking, and how to assess driving styles and habits to better balance powertrain use. In total, Ford says, it has in excess of 650 electrified models, including both all-electric and hybrids.
Sharing patents isn’t exactly new in the EV landscape. Back in June last year, citing surprise at the speed at which the eco-friendly vehicle market had developed, Tesla offered access to its patent portfolio at no charge.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk said at the time that he had expected his auto rivals to poach his tech. Instead, he argued, they’d let EVs languish.
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