Ford Targets $30k EV Truck in 2027 with Simplified Production
Ford is set to introduce a new midsize electric pickup truck in 2027, targeting an aggressive price point of $30,000. This unnamed vehicle will mark the beginning of a series of more affordable electric vehicles from the automaker, built on an entirely new, flexible vehicle platform and powered by US-made prismatic lithium iron phosphate batteries.
For several years, a dedicated team at Ford’s Electric Vehicle Development Center, operating from a secluded facility in Long Beach, California—far from the company’s Dearborn, Michigan headquarters—has been working on this ambitious project. Drawing inspiration from Lockheed’s renowned “skunkworks” approach, the team tackled the design and construction of Ford’s next generation of EVs as a clean-sheet problem, reportedly influenced by the efficiency and innovation seen in Chinese electric vehicles that have impressed Ford’s CEO.
Designing an electric vehicle from the ground up, free from the constraints of decades of legacy architecture, is a compelling strategy, though not exclusive to Ford. The industry has recently seen a shift towards “software-defined vehicles,” which consolidate numerous single-function electronic control units into a handful of powerful domain controllers interconnected by high-speed networks. Doug Field, Ford’s chief EV, digital, and design officer, emphasized that this new Ford pickup “isn’t a stripped-down, old-school vehicle,” distinguishing it from minimalist offerings like the recently revealed barebones EV from Slate Motors. Field further explained that the company applied “first-principles engineering, pushing to the limits of physics to make it fun to drive and compete on affordability,” asserting that their “new zonal electric architecture unlocks capabilities the industry has never seen.” While Ford has faced its share of hurdles in developing software-defined platforms, even having to shelve one architecture earlier this year, it is not alone in these challenges; Volkswagen Group similarly encountered significant obstacles, ultimately investing heavily in Rivian to address its own issues.
While specific details remain scant for a vehicle still two years from showrooms, Ford has offered some tantalizing glimpses. The new pickup is expected to have an exterior footprint similar to a Ford Maverick but boast interior space comparable to or exceeding that of a Toyota RAV4. It will feature both a traditional bed and a front trunk (frunk), and Ford claims it will accelerate as quickly as an EcoBoost Mustang. The 400V LFP battery pack will be approximately 15 percent smaller than the average US EV pack, though details on charge times, exact battery capacity, or range estimates have not yet been disclosed.
Crucially, the affordability of these new EVs stems from a radical simplification and acceleration of the manufacturing process. The streamlined software-defined vehicle architecture means the wiring harness requires 4,000 feet (1.3 km) less copper. Overall, the new production method incorporates 40 percent fewer workstations, 20 percent fewer components, and 25 percent fewer fasteners than a conventional Ford vehicle, resulting in an assembly time that is 15 percent faster than Ford’s average. Reflecting broader trends in modern automotive manufacturing, Ford has also prioritized worker ergonomics; parts will arrive at workstations in pre-kitted packages, complete with all necessary fasteners, scanners, and power tools, even pre-oriented for ease of assembly. However, this increased efficiency unfortunately translates to a reduction of approximately 600 workers at the Louisville Assembly Plant when production commences in 2027.
The innovative production line is split into three distinct sections: one for the front subassembly, another for the rear subassembly, and a third dedicated to the battery pack and interior components. These three large modules then converge for final assembly. This approach is facilitated by the use of large single-piece castings for the front and rear subframes. Doug Field underscored the novelty of this method, stating, “There are other people that use large-scale castings but not in the way we do. We know of no one that has ever built a vehicle in three parts in this way and brought it together at the end.” He added that this “really goes way beyond a typical modular architecture that existing manufacturers have out there.” Alan Clarke, executive director of advanced EV development, echoed this sentiment, noting, “I don’t think there’s any platform that has been so blank-slate, architected around having a large subassembly that you can put a whole bunch of parts on.”
Despite the groundbreaking nature of this new production system, Ford does not anticipate it becoming the standard across its entire vehicle lineup. Kumar Galhotra, Ford’s chief operating officer, clarified that while “elements of it, of the assembly system, that could be applied,” the full scale of this innovation is “very uniquely built for EV vehicles.” This suggests the process is particularly suited for smaller unibody electric vehicles and would not be as beneficial for Ford’s next generation of body-on-frame pickups, including the somewhat delayed “T3” electric replacement for the F-150 Lightning.