Ford’s $30,000 EV pickup caught testing again
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- Ford spotted its upcoming ~$30,000 midsize electric pickup testing in Arizona during hot-weather trials, the second public sighting after The Autopian caught a camouflaged prototype in Long Beach earlier this month.
- The truck will be the first vehicle built on Ford's new Universal EV Platform (UEV), launching in 2027 with production set for the Louisville Assembly plant.
- Ford claims the pickup's aerodynamic efficiency is "more than 15% better than any other pickup truck on the market today," per Advanced EV Aerodynamics senior manager Saleem Merkt.
- The four-door truck reportedly offers more interior passenger space than a Toyota RAV4 despite a footprint closer to the Maverick.
- Ford is leaning on new manufacturing practices including megacasting and prismatic LFP batteries on the UEV platform to cut costs and improve efficiency, succeeding the discontinued all-electric F-150 Lightning.
- The Long Beach prototype carried a hidden QR code in its camouflage that linked to a secret Ford website with preview videos of the new model.
Why it matters: Ford is replacing the discontinued F-150 Lightning with a sub-$30,000 compact EV pickup on a new platform that targets 15%+ better aerodynamics and LFP-battery cost savings — making the UEV's 2027 launch a margin-defining test of whether Ford can deliver a profitable mass-market EV.
