Ford Motor Company is reshaping its electric-vehicle strategy to launch a midsize electric pickup targeted at around $30,000, aiming to reach a broader segment of mainstream buyers. After significant losses from earlier EV programs, including scaling back the Ford F-150 Lightning, Ford is now prioritizing affordability, efficiency, and simplified engineering.

The new truck is being built on a clean-sheet platform called the Ford Universal EV Platform, designed to lower production complexity and cost. Ford is recruiting engineering talent with Formula 1 experience to apply racing-inspired techniques—advanced aerodynamics, lightweight structural design, and rapid prototyping—to a mass-market vehicle. This approach helps reduce battery size and cost while maintaining competitive driving range.

Ford has introduced a “bounty” system to assign measurable financial and performance values to engineering decisions, encouraging teams to optimize overall vehicle efficiency rather than individual components. Other cost-saving measures include:

– Using lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries for durability and lower cost

– Reducing part counts via large structural castings

– Simplifying wiring, electronics, and software systems

Production will take place in Louisville, where the company is updating facilities to support the UEV platform. The platform will initially underpin the midsize pickup, then expand to sedans, crossovers, three-row SUVs, and small commercial vans.

Ford is promoting this strategy through blogs and social media, emphasizing its focus on lighter, cheaper, and more efficient EVs. Specifics on range, features, or charging times have not been shared, but the approach represents a major strategic shift from previous EVs like the Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning, which were built on adapted gasoline platforms.