A newly published patent from FCA US describes an emergency system that could disconnect an electric vehicle’s high-voltage battery and use its 12-volt battery to move the vehicle away from the separated pack.

The patent, titled “High-Voltage Battery Quick Release System For Vehicle,” was published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on September 17. FCA US is listed as both the applicant and assignee. Its stated focus is dealing with situations in which an EV battery overheats, suffers damage, or becomes involved in a thermal event.

Emergency battery separation

The system would begin when someone activates a quick-release switch. That person could be the driver, a passenger, a first responder, or another individual near the vehicle. Once triggered, the vehicle would electrically disconnect the high-voltage battery and physically separate it from the rest of the vehicle.

The patent outlines multiple ways to achieve that separation. Some designs would use frame sections that slide apart, while others could incorporate pyrotechnic components. The system could also include more than one release control, with one switch inside the cabin and another positioned in the trunk so it could be operated from outside.

Those controls could take several forms, including a lever, physical button, touchscreen control, or toggle. The source material does not identify one specific configuration as the selected design.

Moving on 12-volt power

After the high-voltage battery has been decoupled, the vehicle would not simply remain next to the potentially hazardous pack. The patent describes a controller commanding the motor to propel the vehicle a predetermined distance using power from the 12-volt battery.

However, the patent does not specify how far the vehicle would travel under this procedure. It also does not establish whether the system would move only a short distance or support a longer evacuation maneuver.

The document describes the concept as applicable to different types of vehicles, but it does not confirm that the quick-release system will reach production. As a patent, it presents a possible approach for separating an overheated or damaged battery from the vehicle and creating distance between the pack and the vehicle’s occupants.