Ford Is Thinking About Putting Extension Cords On Its Trucks

ford extension cord
(Ford)
(Ford)

The electric truck jokes will write themselves.

Ford has filed to patent a new idea that doesn’t sound like much of a stretch.

The application is for “Vehicle Remote Power Supply Systems With Integrated Retractable Extension Cords.”

Several Ford truck models, including the F-150 PowerBoost and all-electric F-150 Lightning are equipped with the Pro Power Onboard system, which allows the truck to be used as a mobile power station.

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The F-150 Lightning’s Pro Power Onboard system can provide up to 9.6 kW of electricity. (Ford)

Electricity is supplied to outlets throughout the vehicle either by the engine running a generation or directly from a battery pack. The patent describes a device that would integrate a power cable on a reel into the truck.

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It explains how this could be better than just plugging-in an extenstion cord by incorporating a control unit that would monitor its output, temperature, the amount of the cable being used and adjust things if the readings go outside recommended operating parameters.

ford extension cord
(Ford)

The drawing included with the application shows it located in the bed of the truck, but the text says the location of the components may vary.

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As with many patent applications, there are no guarantees the feature will go into production and Ford has not indicated that it will.

The F-150 and F-Series Super Duty models were recently updated and don’t offer it as an option … yet.