Electric Truck Maker Bollinger Motors in Ferndale Receives Patent for Unique “Frunkgate”

Bollinger Motors, a builder of all-electric trucks in Ferndale, today announced it has been granted a patent by the United States Patent and Trademark Office for its Passthrough and Frunkgate — features that reconfigure vehicles operating without a traditional powertrain.
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Bollinger B1 Passthrough
Bollinger Motors has been granted a patent for its Passthrough (pictured) and Frunkgate. // Photo courtesy of Bollinger Motors

Bollinger Motors, a builder of all-electric trucks in Ferndale, today announced it has been granted a patent by the United States Patent and Trademark Office for its Passthrough and Frunkgate — features that reconfigure vehicles operating without a traditional powertrain.

“The Passthrough and Frunkgate have been among our trucks’ most defining features, and were an integral part of our DNA since day one,” says Robert Bollinger, founder and CEO of Bollinger Motors. “Our new patent is proof that (we are) reinventing trucks from the ground up.”

U.S. Patent No. US20190351950A1 is composed of:

Passthrough:
The Passthrough refers to the opening that spans the length of the vehicle, from the front-cargo space (frunk), through the interior of the cab, to the rear of the vehicle.

In the Bollinger B1 sport utility truck and the B2 pickup, the Passthrough enables an uninterrupted 13-foot and 16-foot path, respectively, with the Frunkgate and tailgate closed. With the tailgate down, even longer objects can be transported.

Frunkgate:
The Frunkgate refers to the fold-down portion on the nose of the truck, similar to a tailgate. The Frunkgate allows cargo to be inserted through the front of both the Bollinger B1 and B2. Lifting the hood allows even more access to the frunk. An additional, lockable door in the passenger cabin allows access from the front seats. The total storage space in the frunk on both trucks is 8.6 cubic feet, and is equipped with four electrical outlets to connect power tools and other devices.

Opening the Frunkgate, the Passthrough, and the tailgate allows a direct view through the entire vehicle. This Bollinger Motors design breakthrough allows seamless transport of tall ladders, long boards, lumber, oars, and more.

Bollinger Motors said it also has filed patent protection for its all-electric, all-wheel drive Class 3 vehicles. The provisional patent application – 62936929 – was filed on November 18, 2019.

Production for the Bollinger Motors B1 sport utility truck and B2 pickup is slated to begin in 2021, alongside the E-Chassis and B2 Chassis Cab, the world’s first and only Class 3 all-electric chassis-cab truck platform.

Founded in 2015, Bollinger Motors will manufacture the world’s first all-electric, on- and off-road trucks, the B1 Sport Utility Truck (SUT) and the B2 Pickup Truck. Its first prototype, the two-door B1, unveiled in 2017, is displayed at The Peterson Museum in Los Angeles, as part of the ‘Alternating Currents’ exhibit.