Ford Motor Company has filed a patent for pass through interior storage that may be used in the Ford F-150 Lightning or other future EV pickups, Ford Authority has learned.
The patent was filed on March 9th, 2021, published on June 27th, 2023, and assigned serial number 11685315.
The Ford Authority Take
The concept of pass-through interior-to-bed systems is nothing new in the automotive world, having been utilized in a few models over the years. Ford has also filed patents for its own take on a pickup truck bed to cab pass through system and an external and internal vehicle door bin in recent months. However, this newly filed patent outlines an idea for something similar, yet also different – pass through interior storage that may be used in the Ford F-150 Lightning or other future EV pickups.
As most are well aware, the Ford F-150 Lightning features a “frunk” – like many electric vehicles – which uses the space typically reserved for a gas engine as a large storage area. However, owners must exit the vehicle and walk around to the front, then lift the hood and front fascia to gain access to the frunk.
This patent aims to make storing items in the frunk a bit easier by implementing a pass-through that’s hidden behind a keypad or control panel of some sort, which flips down when the user pushes a button. From there, the user can put items in the pass-through tray and push a button yet again, at which point the drawer moves the item to the frunk and returns to its stored position.
This is a simple yet potentially useful idea that could wind up making its way to the current-gen Ford F-150 Lightning, or more likely, the second-gen model, as well as any number of future Blue Oval EV pickups as a more convenient way to store items in that rather large space.
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Comments
I think they should have a space UNDER the bed so that you can slide full sized lumber or sheets of plywood/drywall underneath. These would slide under the people in the rear seats. Since the Lighting will likely be a suburban grocery-getter, this would satisfy most needs for long oversized items.
They should all have a fold out apartment because to afford one, I’d have to live in one. And did I just see an attempt to get me to DONATE MONEY to FORD.. the same FORD selling their vehicles upwards of $100K?