Ford Motor Company has filed a patent for an enhanced key-off power mode system that may be used in future Ford EVs, Ford Authority has learned.
The patent was filed on February 7th, 2024, published on August 7th, 2025, and assigned serial number 0249749.
Ford has explored quite a few prospective features that we may one day see in the company’s EV models, including ideas for a system that would enable electric vehicles to jump start other cars, a low power secure access system, and methods and systems for delivering electric power, to name just a few. Now, this newly published patent keeps that theme going, this time, with a new idea for an enhanced key-off power mode system that may be used in future Ford EVs, too.
When vehicles are turned off and not in use, modules tend to shut down to conserve power, and this is true both of traditional ICE vehicles and EVs. Problem is, this can cause certain features to either not function or do so with a lag or delay. This can be inconvenient for those that need exterior welcome lighting to function when they’re approaching the vehicle in the dark, or even cameras in the event that a thief is targeting a vehicle.
Thus, this system aims to solve that problem by using a special key-off mode that would be able to determine how far away a vehicle is from a charging source, and factor in its current state of charge before keeping certain features active. Such a feature could certainly come in handy, particularly if those vehicles have a higher state of charge and the owner wants to keep certain things active, in lieu of simply saving energy.
“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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