Since including frunks on its Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning EVs, Ford has been coming up with creative ways to utilize that space. The latest in a series of frunk-related patent filings could turn EVs into epic tailgating machines.
Published by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) April 16, 2024, and originally filed by Ford August 22, 2022, this latest patent filing deals with a retractable frunk-mounted screen that could liven up tailgate parties.
2024 Ford F-150 Lightning Flash
According to the application, the screen would be mounted in a housing toward the back of the frunk. With the frunk open, the screen would rise out of a slot in the housing when in use. A projector could also be mounted on the underside of the grille to be used in combination with the screen, Ford suggests. Such a setup would help preserve frunk space while adding the option of watching a movie while tailgating or camping.
This follows a handful of Ford patent filings that surfaced in late 2023. One also mentioned a movable screen that rises up from a housing in the frunk, while another discussed hanging a screen from an open frunk lid. Others discussed things like wireless device charging, climate-controlled storage, and movable work surfaces—features seemingly aimed more at mobile workplaces than tailgating.
Ford frunk-mounted screen patent image
Prior to that, another Ford patent application discussed some more tailgating-friendly features, including a fold-out table and Bluetooth speakers. That patent filing appeared in 2021, and we haven't heard anything from Ford about these features since, though.
Still, it's possible a frunk-mounted screen, or some other novel feature, could make it into a future update of the Lightning, which will now have to hold the line as Ford's next-generation electric pickup has been delayed.