Ford is seen as one of the manufacturers that is making serious progress in developing electric solutions for its cars. They have already launched the electric versions of the Focus and C-Max and are preparing some new green cars in the future.
 
Now, Ford wants to offer its electric technology to other manufacturers, following the example of Tesla, who stated that its patents are free to use by any other producer. Compared to Tesla, Ford will charge an unknown tax for those who want to use the electric tech. The offer tries to accelerate industry-wide research and development of electrified vehicles.
 
In 2014, Ford filed for 400-plus electrified vehicle patents – more than 20 percent of the total patents the company applied for last year. Now Ford is totaling more than 2,000 applications. In total, Ford has more than 650 electrified vehicle patents and approximately 1,000 pending patent applications on electrified vehicle technologies.
 
Ford is set to hire an additional 200 electrified vehicle engineers this year as the team moves into a newly dedicated facility – Ford Engineering Laboratories – home to Henry Ford’s first laboratories.
 
To access Ford’s patents and published patent applications, interested parties can contact the company’s technology commercialization and licensing office, or work through AutoHarvest – an automaker collaborative innovation and licensing marketplace.