Honda is patenting its own version of the middle gate that is giving feedback on the Chevrolet Silverado EV and GMC Sierra EV pickup trucks.
First seen by Car and drivera Honda patent application published by United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on June 27, details what the automaker calls “adjustable cargo area divider.”
But it looks a lot like a mid-gate, albeit with some differences from what we’ve seen so far in production vehicles.
Honda mid-gate patent image
Rather than folding completely down to create an uninterrupted space between the bed and the cab, as in General Motors’ center-door designs, Honda’s version consists of a divider that can be moved forward and back to change the length of the bed. Honda also suggests that the roof can be extended when the splitter is in the rearmost position to provide more passenger space in the cabin.
GM pioneered the mid-gate in the early 2000s with its Chevy Avalanche and Cadillac Escalade EXT, offering cabin space similar to that of full-size SUVs of the time and bed space similar to that of a pickup truck in a single package. However, these mid-gates left a lot of open space in the cabin when in use — something Honda’s design seems to avoid.
Honda mid-gate patent image
The mid-gate is making a comeback on the Silverado EV and Sierra EV, a pair of unibody electric pickup trucks based on GM’s Ultium architecture. Ramping up production of both pickups has been slow, however, with GM recently confirming that full-scale production of both pickups at a Michigan plant that already builds the Chevy Bolt EV was being delayed until mid-2026.
Honda is not the only automaker considering a mid-gate. Ford has filed two patent applications for mid-gate passages. One was published by the USPTO earlier this year and another emerged in 2023 showing a mid-gate in combination with folding seats.