Ford unveils a new compact electric pickup
Ford has significantly scaled back its electric vehicle plans but continues to develop an all-new compact electric pickup. The manufacturer hopes this model will achieve the success that the F-150 Lightning could not. Although Ford is not yet ready to show the vehicle to the world, recent images posted on LinkedIn offer a brief glimpse of the new model.
Company CEO Jim Farley published these photos to mark Doug Field’s last day at the company. In one photo, Field is discussing the new pickup with Farley and other Ford executives, and a small part of the electric vehicle’s cargo bed is visible in the shot. Another image appears to show the roofline of the new model, while yet another depicts it with several accessories installed on the roof.
Read also: Ford’s $30,000 electric pickup arriving in 2027 is seriously bad news for Slate
While these images do not provide a clear view of the new model, there is plenty of reason for excitement. The $30,000 pickup will be based on the new Ford Universal EV platform, developed in-house by a team of engineers. This platform will also be used for other vehicles, including SUVs and vans.
Cheaper and more efficient
According to Ford, the platform has 20% fewer parts, 25% fewer fasteners, and requires 40% fewer workstations at the factory compared to a conventional platform. This will be facilitated by a new unibody casting process, similar to Tesla’s gigacasting, where critical parts will be made from large, single aluminum castings. This process will also significantly reduce costs.
Talking about the new pickup last year, Farley noted that its wiring harness would be more than 1,300 meters shorter and 10 kg lighter than those in first-generation EVs. The company will also radically change the assembly process for vehicles on this platform: the front, rear, and structural battery pack will be produced on separate lines and then joined during final assembly.
The key technical specifications of the pickup remain unknown, but it is known that it will use lithium-iron-phosphate batteries. It is also possible that the model will revive the Ranchero name, which Ford has not used since 1979.
The new Ford pickup is set to be a real breakthrough for the company in the electric vehicle market. The introduction of a universal platform and innovative production methods, such as unibody casting, will significantly reduce the vehicle’s cost, making it more accessible to a wider range of buyers. This is particularly important against the backdrop of the less-than-successful sales of the F-150 Lightning, which proved too expensive for the mass consumer. By focusing on a more compact and cheaper pickup, Ford is betting on a completely different market segment, where competition is not yet as high. The success of this model could be a key factor in the further development of the company’s electric direction and determine its market position in the coming years.