Ford to launch midsize electric pickup in 2027 on new Universal EV platform

Ford is investing approximately $5 billion to develop a new midsize electric pickup and produce advanced lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries at its Louisville Assembly Plant in Kentucky and BlueOval Battery Park in Michigan.

The first vehicle built on this platform will be a midsize four-door electric pick-up, expected to arrive in showrooms by 2027 with a starting price near US$30,000.

Central to this effort is Ford’s new Universal EV Platform, engineered to simplify production by cutting complexity. Compared to typical vehicles, this platform is said to reduce the number of parts by about 20 per cent, cut fasteners by 25 per cent, and decrease the number of workstations in the plant by 40 per cent. As a result, assembly time is around 15 per cent faster.

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Ford has also significantly streamlined components like the wiring harness in this new truck, making it over a kilometre shorter and about 10kg lighter than that used in the company’s first-generation electric SUV. The pick-up is expected to offer more passenger room than the latest Toyota RAV4, as well as cavernous storage in both the engine bay and truck bed.

“We took a radical approach to a very hard challenge: Create affordable vehicles that delight customers in every way that matters – design, innovation, flexibility, space, driving pleasure, and cost of ownership – and do it with American workers,” said Jim Farley, Ford President and CEO.

To achieve this, Ford revamped its manufacturing with the Universal EV Production System. Instead of the traditional moving assembly line, it uses an “assembly tree” process where the front, rear, and battery sections are built separately before being joined. Farley said, “We tore up the moving assembly line concept and designed a better one.”

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The platform’s cobalt- and nickel-free LFP battery packs play a key role. These prismatic batteries are integrated into the vehicle floor, acting as a structural sub-assembly that lowers the centre of gravity. This design improves handling, creates a quieter cabin, and frees up more interior space. It also delivers durability, cost savings and weight reductions.

The Louisville Assembly Plant is receiving nearly $2 billion in upgrades to prepare for production, while BlueOval Battery Park in Michigan will begin producing the LFP battery packs next year.

Confirmation of this new electric pickup as an Australian export is pending.