Method and system for an electrified vehicle

A system for an electrified vehicle, the system comprising:

• a rechargeable energy storage device (RESS) electrically couplable to a traction motor and to a high-voltage (HV) actuator via a high-voltage bus having HV electrical contactors;
• a telematics system and a global position sensor, wherein the telematics system communicates a geographic position of the electrified vehicle to a remote service center;
• and
• an on-vehicle controller, the on-vehicle controller operatively connected to the HV actuator and the HV electrical contactors, and in communication with the RESS and the telematics system;
• the on-vehicle controller including an instruction set, the instruction set being executable to:
• receive a request to safeguard the electrified vehicle;
• execute a high-voltage discharge protocol to discharge the RESS, wherein the high-voltage discharge protocol includes operating the HV actuator to discharge the RESS,
• monitor a state of charge (SOC) of the RESS, and
• open the HV electrical contactors when the SOC of the RESS is less than a first threshold SOC.

A method for operating an electrified vehicle including a rechargeable energy storage device (RESS) electrically couplable to a traction motor and to a first actuator via a high-voltage electric power bus, the method comprising:

• receiving, via a telematics system, a notification of a proximal impending catastrophic event from a remote service center;
• verifying an intent to safeguard the electrified vehicle;
• executing, via an on-vehicle controller, a high-voltage discharge protocol to discharge the RESS, wherein the high-voltage discharge protocol includes operating the first actuator to discharge the RESS;
• monitoring, via an on-vehicle controller, a state of charge (SOC) of the RESS, and
• opening high-voltage electrical contactors to electrically decouple the RESS from the high-voltage electric power bus when the SOC of the RESS is less than a first threshold SOC.