Ford Developing Split Tailgate for Future SUVs

A recent patent application suggests that Ford may give one of its future SUVs a split tailgate.

Ford had filed a patent application for a split tailgate design in 2021, which was just published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on March 12, 2024. Ford's design appears similar to split tailgates that have appeared on other SUVs, including the Land Rover Range Rover, some versions of the Toyota Land Cruiser, the BMW X5, and most recently the Rivian R1S.

Instead of opening in one piece like a conventional tailgate, the split tailgate opens in two pieces like a clamshell. The upper part opens upward like a conventional SUV tailgate, and the lower part opens downward, usually forming a flat surface like the tailgate of a pickup truck.

Its lower part provides a convenient place to create a roadside picnic, but split tailgates are often more expensive and complex because of the additional components. For this reason, they are generally limited to luxury SUVs like the Range Rover. [However, the fact that Ford has patented a split tailgate indicates that it is at least considering adopting it for future vehicles. While the patent application depicts an SUV, in it Ford notes that the split tailgate could be applied to other types of vehicles, such as minivans and hatchbacks.

It would be interesting to see a split tailgate on the next-generation Ford Explorer or Ford's next three-row electric SUV, but it is too early to tell at this time if a split tailgate will be included in future Ford vehicles.