Stellantis working on removable vehicle windows

Jeep Wrangler drivers can already remove their vehicles’ roofs and doors, but Jeep parent Stellantis is also trying to patent removable windows for open-air driving with less manual labor.

A patent application from Stellantis for a “removable window system” was published by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on Aug. 1, and originally filed by Stellantis in early 2023. In the application, Stellantis notes that manually removable hard tops such as the Wrangler’s can be cumbersome, and suggests removable windows as a way to increase airiness without removing the roof.

Stellantis also appears to be thinking of the rear window and quarter-panel windows specifically. These can’t normally be lowered, the automaker notes in the application, adding that removing them could enhance the open-air driving experience in combination with lowering the side windows or removing the doors.

To make the windows removable, Stellantis proposes fitting them with multiple latches. Rotating a handle on each mechanism causes retention clips to move out of the way, allowing the window to be removed.

While this might seem like a natural fit for the Wrangler (which is also what’s shown in and accompanying image), there is no indication of what vehicle might get this feature if it reaches production. Images of the Jeep Recon from the EV’s 2022 reveal show open rear-quarter windows, hinting that this feature might be destined for that model.

At the time of its reveal, Jeep said the Recon would reach the U.S. in 2024. But the automaker has been quiet about this model since then. The Wagoneer S that was first shown alongside the Recon in 2022 will kick off the brand’s electric era in the U.S. when it reaches showrooms this fall.