Ford's New EV Truck: Half the Price, All the Tech

Ford is pivoting its electric vehicle strategy, acknowledging challenges with its initial full-size EV trucks. The company plans to launch a new "Universal EV Platform" next year, beginning with a midsize truck expected to cost around $30,000. This initiative stems from an internal "skunkworks" project focused on creating an affordable and efficient EV.

The new platform prioritizes doing more with less, incorporating fewer components and optimizing energy use for extended range. Ford aims to achieve 15 percent better efficiency through aerodynamic designs, inspired by Formula 1 principles, and a streamlined manufacturing process. This includes the use of large castings and a zonal computer architecture, significantly reducing complexity and weight.

The company has implemented an internal "bounty" system to encourage collaboration among design teams, aligning priorities like aerodynamics and interior space with cost-efficiency. This approach aims to directly link engineering decisions to customer benefits, such as increased range and reduced battery costs, with details on exact pricing and launch dates to follow.