On the Dash:
- Ford aims to launch a $30,000 electric pickup in 2027 using a new EV platform.
- The company is cutting battery size, parts and assembly time to lower costs.
- A new 48-volt electrical system will improve efficiency and support advanced features.
Ford Motor Co. is targeting a starting price of about $30,000 for its next-generation electric vehicle lineup by shrinking battery size, cutting parts and reengineering how its vehicles are built.
The Detroit automaker said its new EV platform, known as the Universal Electric Vehicle, will underpin a midsize electric pickup set to debut in 2027, followed by additional models, including a crossover. The automaker is betting that aggressive cost reductions and efficiency gains will allow the new EVs to compete with Chinese automakers and Tesla while approaching the cost of a comparable gas-powered vehicle.
To hit that target, Ford redesigned the vehicle from the ground up. The company reduced weight through advanced aerodynamics and large aluminum castings that replace dozens of smaller stamped parts. The upcoming electric pickup will use just two main structural castings compared with 146 structural components on the Maverick compact pickup. The automaker said the new truck is 15% more aerodynamic than any other pickup on the market and delivers roughly 50 miles more range than a comparable gas-powered midsize truck.
A smaller battery, which typically accounts for about 40% of an EV’s cost, is made possible by the lighter design and improved efficiency. The new platform also cuts overall parts by 20%, reduces fasteners by 25% and lowers assembly time by 15%. Ford said the manufacturing process will require 40% fewer workstations and about 600 fewer workers than previously used at its Louisville, Kentucky, plant, where the truck will be built.
The EVs will feature a 48-volt electrical architecture, replacing the traditional 12-volt system used for decades across the industry. The updated system improves efficiency, reduces wiring length by more than 4,000 feet and cuts 22 pounds from the wiring harness compared with Ford’s first-generation electric SUV. The system also provides greater electrical bandwidth for future features.
Ford plans to introduce semi-autonomous technology in 2028 that will allow drivers to take their eyes off the road. Executives say the efficiency gains engineered into the platform enable advanced technology to be offered at a lower cost.
The push comes after Ford announced $19.5 billion in write-downs tied to its EV business, while reaffirming plans to invest $5 billion in the new platform through 2027. With U.S. EV sales slowing and Chinese brands expanding globally, Ford is positioning affordability and innovation as central to its next phase of electric growth.
