Ford Reveals US-Built $30,000 Electric Pickup Plan
Ford is reinventing the way it makes its wheels.
The automaker has released the first details about the new low cost electric vehicle platform that it will start building at its Louisville Assembly Plant in 2027. Ford is calling it The Universal Vehicle as a tip of the hat to the Model T, which was advertised as The Universal Car.
The flexible architecture is comprised of three sub-assemblies that are assembled in parallel then attached together at the end of what Ford is describing as an “assembly tree” rather than an “assembly line.”
The central section houses a structural battery tray, seats and interior consoles, while the motors, wheels and suspension are presumably installed within the end sections. The design uses 20% fewer parts that a traditional vehicle. Each sub-assembly moves down its line accompanied by a kit full of all of the fasteners and tools needed to put it together to simplify and speed up the process. Tesla is developing a similar manufacturing system it refers to as the “unboxed” process, but Ford says its three-section layout is a first and unique.
Ford says it will be able to build the vehicles 15% faster than the ones currently built at the plant and that it could go even faster, but is focused on quality and building more of the vehicle’s components in house.
The platform uses lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries constructed in a prismatic box shape for optimal packaging. They are cheaper to produce and longer-lasting than the nickel cobalt manganese (NCM) batteries found in many EVs today, but have a lower energy density and a slower maximum charging speed.
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Ford didn’t show any images of what the platform looks like, but American Cars And Racing uncovered a patent application last year covering a “Vehicle Chassis With Interchangeable Performance Packages And Related Methods” that closely resembles the description.
It explains how the central section can be lengthened and widened to accommodate different model types and battery sizes. The sub-assemblies on the end are designed with frames in the shape of a “bridge” that can lower or raise the ride height of the vehicle, depending on which way they are installed.
The first model planned is a midsize, four-door pickup priced near $30,00 that Ford says will have the interior space of a Toyota Rav4, a “frunk” front storage space, a bed with a lockable cover and the acceleration of a Mustang EcoBoost. Exact dimensions weren’t shared, but Ford said it will have a similar footprint to the Maverick with a larger cabin and a more aerodynamically efficient body. The gas engine-powered Ford Escape SUV that is built at the Louisville factory today has a starting price of $29,515 (not including shipping fees) and the cheapest hybrid model lists for $32,490.
Ford’s presentation on the platform included a teaser animation that depicted it with a variety of bodies — which are known in the auto industry as “top hats” in this application — that included SUVs and vans. Alan Clark, Ford’s Executive Director of Advanced EV Development, said the platform has been engineered to accommodate subcompact to large unibody SUVs, but not full-size trucks. The initial investment in the two plants and program is valued at $5 billion.
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Battery sizes, estimated driving ranges and charging times will be announced closer to when the pickup goes on sale with a name that has not yet been revealed. Ford recently filed a new trademark application for the Ranchero name that it last used on a car-based pickup in 1979, but has not confirmed any intent to use it.