Ford Develops $30,000 Electric Pickup via Long Beach Skunkworks

Ford Motor Company is developing a next-generation Universal Electric Vehicle (UEV) platform to produce affordable electric vehicles, starting with a midsize pickup truck targeted for a 2027 commercial launch with a price tag of approximately $30,000. To accelerate development and bypass corporate bureaucracy, Ford established the Electric Vehicle Development Center (EVDC) in Long Beach, California. This skunkworks operation employs 350 onsite staff who utilize a software-first, rapid-iteration design process to achieve a level of development speed the company associates with Chinese competitors.

The UEV platform aims to reduce complexity by 30% and total parts by 20%. To lower production costs and vehicle weight, Ford is implementing a unicasting strategy using large aluminum castings for subframes and a 48-volt electrical system for most ancillaries. The company is also developing its powertrain and motors in-house and utilizing lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries. Additional efficiencies include a hot gas bypass loop for climate control to replace traditional resistant heaters and a design focus on aerodynamics to minimize battery size.

Prototypes are currently undergoing testing at proving grounds in Dearborn, Michigan. Production is scheduled to begin later in 2026 at the Louisville assembly plant, which is currently undergoing renovations. The modular UEV architecture is intended to be flexible enough to support a wide range of future vehicles, from subcompacts to commercial vans.