Ford Motor Co. has released its electrified vehicle technology patents to its competitors in a bid to spur development of electric vehicles, the automaker announced.

In 2014, Ford filed for more than 400 patents relating to EV technology, which made up more than 20 percent of the total number of patents the company applied for last year. Ford has more than 650 electrified vehicle patents and approximately 1,000 pending patent applications on electrified vehicle technologies.

The more notable patents include the mathod and apparatus for battery charge balancing, temperature dependent regenerative brake system for EVs, and driving behavior feedback interface.

The patents and published patent applications will be available through the company's technology commercialization and licensing office, or through AutoHarvest – an automaker collaborative innovation and licensing marketplace. The patents would be available for a fee.

Ford is also ramping up development of EV technology with plans to hire 200 electrified vehicle engineers this year.

Ford offers six gasoline-electric hybrid or battery-electric vehicles, including the Focus Electric, Fusion Hybrid, Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid, C-MAX Hybrid, C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid and Lincoln MKZ Hybrid.