Ford is looking at charging EV battery packs from multiple charge ports simultaneously in order to shorten charging times.

The concept is outlined in a recent patent filing published by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Nov. 12, 2024, but originally filed by Ford back on Dec. 8, 2021. It shows a setup with dual charging ports that would each be responsible for charging a portion of the battery pack from a single power source.

The filing discusses a “partition” system that would allow two or more sections of the battery pack to be decoupled and charged individually, or coupled together for conventional charging. 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.

Partitioning of the battery pack don’t necessarily entail the double-layer approach used by General Motors in the GMC Hummer EV, GMC Sierra EV and Chevrolet Silverado EV. In those trucks, each layer is essentially an individual pack connected to the other in parallel.

In a 2022 patent filing, GM discussed adding a second port to help get the most out of this setup, including a configuration that allowed both layers to be charged individually from different ports.

Ford dual charge port patent image

The GM patent filing also covered the idea of using multiple ports to help charge other EVs, something Ford also discussed in a 2023 patent filing. But that’s not necessarily in play here. This most recent patent filing mentions charge ports placed on opposite sides or the same side of a vehicle. The latter wouldn’t be very convenient for charging another vehicle.

Some EVs already have dual charge ports. The Porsche Taycan and Audi E-Tron GT have AC ports on both sides, with a DC fast-charging port on the right side as well. But this is only for convenience; you can’t use both ports at the same time. The 2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA will also have dual ports—one J1772, for AC, and one NACS, for DC—to give drivers more flexibility. Ford’s concept would be something different, if it reaches production.