Ford Motor Company has filed a patent for a fuel operated heater that may be used in future Ford vehicles, Ford Authority has learned.
The patent was filed on January 19th, 2024, published on July 24th, 2025, and assigned serial number 0237164.
The Ford Authority Take
In recent months, Ford has published a few patents outlining ideas for new types of heating systems, specifically, for electric vehicles – one, an idea for an active heat sharing system, and another, for a more efficient method of heating cabins. Now, this newly published patent presents us with an interesting yet different sort of idea for a fuel operated heater that may be used in future Ford vehicles, too.
In this case, the fuel operated heater would be used to provide warmth to a vehicle’s interior during times when engine power loss occurs, combusting fuel to warm up a heat exchanger, which would then circulate that warm air into the cabin. Ford proposes using a vehicle’s exhaust system as a way to assist in this process, and even came up with potential ways to clean the heater in the event that it becomes soiled.
Regardless, the FOH would be preheated by the exhaust system and ready to switch to full operation if it detects that the engine itself has lost power, which could prove handy in the event that one becomes stranded during extremely cold weather – a situation that, in many cases, can prove rather dangerous.
“Submitting patent applications is a normal part of any strong business as the process protects new ideas and helps us build a robust portfolio of intellectual property,” Ford said in a statement. “The ideas described within a patent application should not be viewed as an indication of our business or product plans. No matter what the patent application outlines, we will always put the customer first in the decision-making behind the development and marketing of new products and services.”
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