Overview
- The Universal EV platform debuts with a midsize pickup that Ford targets to start near $30,000 in 2027, with final specs and pricing still unconfirmed.
- Ford claims over 15% better aerodynamic efficiency than any current pickup, which it estimates equates to roughly 50 extra miles of range without enlarging the battery.
- The truck uses large front and rear aluminum unicastings in place of 146 structural parts on the Maverick, a shift Ford says cuts mass and parts count to speed assembly.
- A prismatic lithium‑iron‑phosphate, cell‑to‑structure battery built in Michigan using CATL‑licensed tech anchors the cost strategy, alongside in‑house power electronics with bidirectional charging, a 48‑volt low‑voltage system, five central compute modules, and about 4,000 feet less wiring for a 22‑pound harness reduction.
- Production is planned at a retooled Louisville plant with roughly 40% fewer assembly workstations and about 600 fewer workers, while a California skunkworks led by ex‑Tesla engineer Alan Clarke and F1 aerodynamicists targets Level 3 capability around 2028 and frames the program as a response to rising Chinese competition.