Earlier this year, Ford revealed that it has a skunkworks team that has been operating in total secrecy for the past two years, with one goal in mind – develop a low-cost platform that will underpin a variety of future Ford EVs. This effort became even more critical to the automaker’s future success given a recent slowdown in terms of demand growth for electric vehicles in general, though as of now, we don’t know a lot about those vehicles. Regardless, CEO Jim Farley recently gave us a little more information about these future Ford EVs.
“With no engine or drive team, a smaller vehicle could have a much roomier package, actually the interior package of a class above, with a small silhouette,” Farley said while speaking during the automaker’s Q2 earnings call with investors. “That’s a big advantage for customers versus ICE. And we’re focusing on very differentiated vehicles, priced under $40,000 or even $30,000. And we’re going to focus on two segments: work and adventure.”
Farley was inspired to drive these efforts to develop a low-cost EV platform after visiting China – where there are plenty of cheap EVs already on sale. The first vehicle to stem from this effort will be a crossover slated to launch in late 2026, which will compete directly with Tesla and Chinese EVs. Originally expected to tout a $25k price tag, Farley recently admitted that this model will likely cost closer to $30k, however. That low-cost platform will likely underpin more future EVs, including a compact pickup and dedicated rideshare model as well.
Recently, Farley also admitted that Ford’s partnership with Volkswagen has helped it learn how to scale EV platforms as well, given the fact that The Blue Oval is utilizing VW’s MEB platform for a pair of European models, which has only helped with this particular mission to drive down the costs of future Ford EVs.
We’ll have more on these future Ford EVs soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for 24/7 Ford news coverage.
Comments
Wake me up when this EV BS is over
It’s lipstick on a pig
It’s never going to be over. It’s the future, like it or not.
The Focus EV should be revived. The Focus is still a great small sedan with plenty of service and parts available for present models, so the new Focus can take advantage of this to reduce development and production costs.
BTW, Keith loves pigs!
Amen, Keith, Amen !!
Listen to these old gearheads whine about the death of gasoline.
“If I asked what people wanted, they’d say a faster horse”. — Henry F.
Stop wasting money on EVs its driving up the cost of regular vehicles. Can this guy see the forest for the trees? He is tone deaf. Vehicles are building up on lots and nobody can afford them or are willing to spend that much. Wake up!
It’s time to stop wasting money on engines and transmissions! EV technology is trending up with costs coming down.
He has to go to China to figure out that a lower cost EV might sell?! Shows how disconnected his life is from mine. His target price has already increased from $25K to $30K and the vehicle is not even ready yet. Reminds me of the Lightning. We will probably not see a $30K Ford EV anytime soon and if we do it is certain to be recalled a few times.
Either he competes with the Chinese building cars in Mexico or Ford dwindles into a niche builder of towing machines run on dino juice.
EV’s are coming but not as fast. All the money spent on R&D. In 15 years you will be driving an EV for sure.
EVs are the right thing to develop. ICEs should go away like the horse, kicking and screaming that we can’t accept change. Cities would also be less smoggy if we used EV taxis and buses for the majority of the transportation instead of ICE. Climate change will continue until we all do our part and adopt new methods that reduce pollution. If you don’t want to change, like having to wear seat belts, filling your own car up, go back to riding a horse.
Time to take old Elmer behind the wood shed. Com’on old boy
There are 7 million horses in the USA, higher than the number of EVs. They are used for racing, pets, and niche uses. That’s the fate of ICE.
So Farley is focusing on low price EV under 40k the last word was around 30k and when first a mentioned it was going to be 25k. Sounds like F150 Lighting prices started at $39994 and quickly escalated to over $50,000 and today the start at $67,000. Any EV Ford brings out over 25k will flop any anything less than 300 mile range will flop.
Keith, I think you may be sleeping for a long time…:-). Smaller is better…