If you were to haul tall items regularly, you’d probably need a mid- to full-size SUV or a pickup truck for more challenging items. But for most of us, these moments are few and far between—plus, when we do need to lug around something large from point A to point B, it usually falls into the category of furniture or appliances (things you can store inside the cabin with you) rather than dusty construction materials that you’d much rather have on a truck bed.
That being said, in France—especially in more urban areas like Paris—where most cars are hatchbacks and sedans to navigate narrow side streets and parallel-park with ease, Stellantis has filed a patent for a unique split-opening tailgate design that can give small city cars the cargo practicality of a larger vehicle.
Picked up by CarBuzz.com, the figures on the patent show a tailgate mechanism that opens much higher than that of a regular hatchback, sedan, or liftback. In fact, the tailgate opens so high that it actually folds onto the roof, allowing more space for tall items like a refrigerator or cabinet. The upper portion of the tailgate is then secured with a lock placed on the roof panel.
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The roof-mounted lock secures the tailgate from unwanted bouncing. The system would also likely be motor-assisted to make the whole opening and closing process faster and more convenient. The bottom section of the trunk design opens downward, similar to a pickup truck or split-tailgate hatchback/SUV. This allows the user to leave the tailgate open when storing longer items in the cabin with the seats folded down.
The design is definitely unique and has potential—imagine having the maneuverability of a small city car while also possessing the storage practicality of a pickup or SUV. The patent is just what it is for now, but we’re interested to see what Stellantis and the car brands under it have in store for the future.
While we’re on the topic, aside from sedans and hatchbacks, maybe Stellantis can also consider adding the mechanism to a station wagon. That could be the ultimate daily do-it-all vehicle, don’t you think?
