- Jim Farley says the new Ford EV will have more cabin space than a RAV4.
- Innovative new production methods will make it faster and cheaper to build.
- Universal EV Platform will underpin many upcoming models in the next years.
Ford is preparing to expand its EV lineup in a way that could reshape how the company builds and markets its vehicles. And according to CEO Jim Farley, the upcoming mid-size electric pickup won’t just be another truck, but something designed to stretch beyond the typical template.
While the company remains cautious about how the loss of federal tax credits may affect demand, development is moving ahead on the new Universal EV Platform. This fresh architecture will debut with a $30,000 mid-size pickup truck, first mentioned in August, and now detailed further by Ford’s top executive.
Not Just a Truck
During a recent interview with The Verge’s podcast, Farley explained that the pickup will be the first model underpinned by the new architecture “but it’s not really a pickup. I would say it’s a new silhouette.”
It’s hard to know exactly what Ford’s head honcho means, as the teaser image Ford released earlier this year suggested a conventional truck shape, one instantly recognizable across all segments with the exception of the outlier Tesla Cybertruck.
Read: $30K Ford Electric Truck Coming In 2027 Is Seriously Bad News For Slate
Farley added that the new EV “has more room than a RAV4, the best-selling passenger car in the US. That doesn’t include its trunk and pickup truck bed”. The teaser indicated it’ll hit the market with a dual-cab design, helping to ensure that the second row has enough room for adult passengers.
Fun First, Utility Second
It’s not just space that Ford is promising. Farley noted that the vehicle will be rear-wheel drive, “very fast,” and “super fun to drive,” which isn’t the case for most pickup trucks. Not only that, but it will offer a “digital experience that no one’s seen – at least that we’ve seen – even in China.”
“The digital experience is quite different for customers,” Farley said. “I think the whole package is something that has not been offered in the US or anywhere else to date. I think this first product is quite revolutionary.”
Building EVs Differently
It’s not just the technology of the model that is promising to be revolutionary; the Universal EV Platform will be brought to life on an all-new form of assembly line and be made of three large cast pieces.
The revolution isn’t limited to the product itself. Ford plans to manufacture the Universal EV Platform in a new way, using just three large castings to form the vehicle’s structure. The process will involve 20 percent fewer parts, cut plant workstation needs by 40 percent, and speed up assembly at the Louisville facility by a similar margin.
Farley underlined the ambition of this approach. “No one has ever built a car in three pieces,” he said. “No one’s offered their own electric architecture at this price. We’ve never done it. We’ve never had two large unit castings and high quality. No one’s done it. Tesla’s talked about it, but it hasn’t done it. In fact, our manufacturing process has radically moved on beyond what Tesla’s ever shown in its unboxing. So, there’s a lot of risk here. This is not a guarantee that Ford’s going to get this done.”
