All articles tagged with #uev platform
Ford’s new Universal Electric Vehicle (UEV) platform, currently underpinning the $30,000 Fathom pickup, is designed to support a wider range of body styles, including a compact, Fiesta-sized hatchback. This move signals Ford’s intent to re-enter the small-car segment, which it abandoned in 2019, using a flexible architecture that allows for various battery chemistries and drivetrain configurations.
Ford’s upcoming Fathom electric pickup targets a 4.5-second 0-60 mph acceleration, outpacing several legacy performance vehicles including the E39 BMW M5 and 2013 Ford Mustang GT. While the truck’s conventional design has surprised some observers, its aggressive performance metrics and $29,945 starting price position it as a significant competitor to the cheaper Slate Auto truck. Industry observers remain divided on whether Ford’s dealer network will hinder or help the Fathom’s success against the startup rival.
Ford confirms its first vehicle on the Universal EV (UEV) platform will be a small, four‑door electric pickup due in 2027, with an estimated starting price around $30,000. The truck is designed to cut costs via LFP batteries and megacasting, and Ford says it will offer more interior space than a Toyota RAV4 despite its compact footprint as it pivots toward an affordable, scalable EV lineup.
Ford plans a four‑door midsize EV pickup priced around $30,000, launching in 2027 on its new Universal Electric Vehicle platform. Prototypes are built and already out in the wild, with public street testing in Michigan expected in the coming weeks. The truck uses megacasting to cut parts and prismatic LFP batteries to reduce costs and increase interior space, and Ford says it will offer more room than a Toyota RAV4 and lower ownership costs than a Tesla Model Y, with production at the Louisville Assembly Plant.
Ford says Doug Field will depart next month, with ex-Tesla engineer Alan Clarke promoted to vice president of Advanced Development Projects to continue leading Ford’s Universal Electric Vehicle platform. Field says he’s passing the baton as Ford pivots after a $19.5 billion EV write-down and the cancellation of some EV programs (F-150 Lightning, T3, electric van). The company also created a Product Creation and Integration unit led by COO Kumar Galhotra to scale digital products, and plans to refresh most of its lineup by 2029 with 90% of vehicles featuring new electric architectures by decade’s end.
Ford is considering discontinuing the F-150 Lightning electric pickup due to a supplier fire and shifting focus to the new, more affordable UEV platform aimed at producing lower-cost EVs, including a $30,000 truck, which could lead to the end of Lightning production despite its relatively steady sales.