Ford postpones its upcoming electric pickup and van, focusing instead on smaller electric vehicles.
Ford is set to reveal more details about its plans for the future of electric vehicles (EVs) on August 11, 2023. The American automaker has announced that it will be investing $5 billion into developing a family of affordable EVs built on the Universal EV Platform.
One of the most exciting developments from this investment is a new midsize electric pickup truck, set to debut in 2027. This vehicle is expected to start at around $30,000, making it significantly more accessible than current electric trucks like the Ford Lightning. Despite its smaller size, the new truck is said to have interior space comparable to a Toyota RAV4 and performance on par with a Mustang EcoBoost, with a targeted 0-60 mph time around 4.5 seconds.
The new truck will feature a cobalt- and nickel-free lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery integrated into the vehicle floor, which lowers the center of gravity, improves handling, and adds cabin quietness. The vehicle will also come from a family of up to eight new affordable EV models built on the Universal EV Platform, designed to reduce manufacturing complexity and cost with fewer parts and shorter wiring harnesses.
While specific confirmation was not provided, the midsize electric truck aligns with the size segment that the Ford Ranger occupies, suggesting it could be the potential EV version of the Ranger or a successor replacing some of Ford’s smaller trucks and SUVs. This launch coincides with the planned discontinuation of the Ford Escape and Lincoln Corsair SUVs by the 2026 model year, as the Louisville Assembly plant pivots to producing these new EVs.
The new EV pickup will also boast practical design elements such as a frunk and a lockable truck bed for gear storage. Ford emphasizes the vehicle’s “fun to drive” qualities and “obsessive chassis engineering,” stressing that it won’t be a stripped-down electric vehicle but a competitively equipped and enjoyable ride.
However, the announcement on August 11 is not expected to reveal details about the next-generation electric pickup, Project T3, or the next-generation electric van. Ford has decided to prioritize the development of smaller and more affordable electric vehicles and has delayed the debut of both Project T3 and the next-generation electric van from their 2027 and mid-decade debuts, respectively, to 2028.
The focus of Ford’s current development efforts is on smaller and more affordable electric vehicles, with the company announcing a "skunkworks" project last year to develop low-cost EVs. It seems that this project is the focus for the rest of 2025 and into 2026/27.
Stay tuned for more updates on Ford’s electric vehicle plans, as the automaker continues to push the boundaries of affordability and performance in the EV market.
[1] Ford Authority [2] Car and Driver [3] The Detroit Bureau [4] Electrek [5] Motor Trend
- The upcoming electric midsize pickup truck from Ford, scheduled to debut in 2027, is anticipated to start at around $30,000, posing a competitive challenge to current electric trucks like the Ford Lightning due to its affordable price.
- Ford's new family of up to eight affordable electric vehicles, set to be built on the Universal EV Platform, will include practical design elements such as a frunk and a lockable truck bed, reinforcing Ford's commitment to integrating utility and functionality into its EV offerings.
- While the Ford Ranger could potentially serve as a basis for the new midsize electric truck, the launch of this vehicle coincides with the planned discontinuation of the Ford Escape and Lincoln Corsair SUVs, suggesting a possible shift in Ford’s focus towards electric vehicles in the smaller and more affordable segments.
