Ford revolutionized an entire industry by popularizing the assembly line approach to automotive construction. Now America’s most productive brand is looking to bring that same innovative approach to the EV segment as part of a substantial $5 billion investment. While the automaker has been at the forefront of the modern EV wave with models like the F-150 Lightning, Mustang Mach-E SUV, and the E-Transit van, Ford now has its sights set on developing a new, ultra-affordable all-electric vehicle platform that’ll bring EVs to the masses.
Ford recently announced a new Universal Electric Vehicle Platform (UEVP) that could quickly make the brand a force to be reckoned with in the EV segment. The company is also embracing an entirely new production technique to help realize an EV platform that can be constructed 15 percent faster than the current operation with 20 percent fewer parts. The platform is underpinned by a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) prismatic battery, the first such offering to be made in the U.S., and can be produced at a steep discount thanks to its cobalt- and nickel-free design. While the first UEVP model won’t hit your local Ford dealer until 2027, Ford has already given us a sneak peek that has us counting down the days until the launch. The debut EV looks to be a four-door, midsize pickup that can match a Mustang EcoBoost in a zero-to-60-mph sprint while making your bi-weekly trips to the gas station a thing of the past. While we eagerly await the release of the unnamed EV, let’s dive into some of the details of the UEVP and learn how Ford’s new production technique could quickly become the process by which all other manufacturers are measured.
The Universal Electric Vehicle Platform
Ford has long been a leader in the pickup segment, producing not only America’s most popular truck, but the country’s best-selling vehicle of any kind in the iconic F-150. That’s why we’re so excited to learn that the first UEVP-equipped model will be a four-door pickup designed to deliver the utility of a traditional truck with a few charming features unique to the EV segment. The forthcoming EV won’t be a full-size model like the ubiquitous F-150, but rather a midsize pickup that hits the sweet spot between efficiency and utility. Ford says the truck will feature more passenger space than some versions of the Toyota RAV4, while also boasting a traditional bed that, along with a front trunk, will allow the EV to pack plenty of gear, building supplies, or whatever other cargo you might need for your next journey.
The EV pickup will also feature Ford’s renowned BlueCruise hands-free driving technology, which consistently ranks as the best offering on the market with an industry-leading 84/100 score from Consumer Reports. Compatible with over 130,000 miles of divided highways across North America, BlueCruise sweetens the pot to make the new EV pickup one of the most advanced models in Ford’s long history.
This model seems to have all the makings of a class-leading truck, but it also doubles as a generator on wheels thanks to a vehicle-to-home (V2H) interface that will allow drivers to power their abode in the case of an emergency. Ford has already given us a taste of this technology with the full-size F-150 Lightning, which can power the average home for three days, or up to ten days if your electrical needs are kept to the bare minimum. While there’s no word on how the new midsize EV pickup might compare in terms of its V2H capacity, any vehicle that doubles as a home generator is definitely worth a closer look.
The best part of Ford’s new EV pickup is not its speed, power, or hands-free driving tech but its price. The automaker says the truck will retail for around $30,000 when it hits the market in 2027, which should instantly make it the most affordable model in the cutting-edge pickup EV segment. Today’s EVs are already exceedingly easy to keep on the road with fewer moving parts, making for much lower maintenance and repair costs. The new pickup looks to be no different, with Ford suggesting that the five-year ownership costs will be lower than those of a used Tesla Model Y.
One big question remains as we examine the enticing new EV: how has Ford managed to raise the bar in the all-electric pickup segment while keeping the price well within the range of the average driver? It all comes down to a radically simplified design that sees the unnamed EV boast three-quarters of parts, two-thirds of welds, and half of fasteners of a traditional truck, thanks to the unicast technique. The EV also cuts the cord with a bold design that reduces the truck’s wiring by over 4,000 feet. This lack of wiring not only lowers the vehicle’s cost and construction complexity, but it also improves efficiency to double down on the EV’s eco-friendly approach.
The Universal EV Production System
The assembly line might have been a groundbreaking innovation in the 20th century, but modern problems require modern solutions. Ford has pioneered a new production technique to bring a new generation of EVs to market, replacing the standard assembly line with a new “assembly tree” that promises a more modular approach to the car-building process. Rather than having each vehicle proceed down a single conveyor, the new assembly tree splits into three separate branches that allow workers to craft each sub-assembly before piecing together each module at the end of the line. Also, instead of affixing each part to a single frame, the Universal EV Production System relies on distinct “unicast” aluminum components that serve as both the EV’s structural base and a platform on which other subassemblies can be installed.
The new Ford Universal EV Production System allows the company to produce a better all-electric vehicle efficiently. It also drastically improves the day-to-day ergonomics for the automaker’s employees by reducing the amount of stretching, bending, and other contortions workers will have to endure during a typical shift. “We put our employees at the center and re-created the factory from scratch,” said Bryce Currie, Ford vice president, Americas Manufacturing. “We live and breathe continuous improvement, but sometimes you need a dramatic leap forward. We expect ergonomic breakthroughs and complexity reduction through elimination of parts, connectors, and wire will flow through to significant quality and cost wins.”
The new process, made possible thanks to a $2 billion investment in Ford’s Louisville Assembly Plant, could improve the facility’s production time by as much as 15 percent. The money will also be used to expand the Kentucky plant by 52,000 square feet. More workers will join the line (or tree) with an estimated 2,200 jobs being created or retained through the new initiative.
It might sound like a substantial investment, but that $2 billion represents less than half of the funding for Ford’s new EV future. In addition to expanding the Kentucky plant, Ford has also poured $3 billion into a new facility designed to produce the next generation of prismatic LFP batteries. BlueOval Battery Park, Michigan, will add another 1,800 employees to Ford’s payroll and is scheduled to start churning out the midsize EV pickup’s battery by 2026.
Ford’s Universal Appeal
Everyone loves a spunky startup, but as the EV segment matures, established brands are the ones that stand poised to take the lead. Few automakers can compete with Ford in terms of resources, relationships, and expertise, which means that any bets against the Big Blue Oval should be thoroughly hedged when gambling on the future of the EV market. The massive $5 billion investment speaks for itself, but Ford isn’t just throwing its considerable resources at an imposing problem. It’s reinventing automotive production from the ground up with a new Universal EV Production System that offers countless advantages for both buyers and the employees tasked with crafting the new slate of EV models. The Universal Electric Vehicle Platform seems to hold a lot of promise, and while it’s a little early to call the effort an outright success, it’s hard to imagine Ford fumbling this electrifying opportunity for growth and leadership.
