Ford Presents Universal EV Platform and Affordable Electric Pickup

Ford outlined its Universal EV platform and a planned $30,000 mid-size electric pickup for 2027, highlighting new production methods and LFP batteries. Learn more.

Ford is preparing to reveal the next chapter of its Universal Electric Vehicle (UEV) program, an initiative the company describes as one of the most ambitious projects in its history. On Tuesday, Ford will host a livestream titled “Ford Bounty Hunters: The Pursuit of Efficiency”, offering an in-depth look at how its engineering teams are trying to solve one of the biggest challenges in today’s EV market: why electric vehicles are still too expensive for many mainstream buyers.

Ford says the effort is not limited to launching a new platform, but also involves rethinking how EVs are built in the first place. The company is positioning the combination of the UEV Platform and its Universal EV Production System—introduced previously—as the foundation for lowering costs through engineering and manufacturing changes rather than marketing promises or major compromises.

The key example will be a future mid-size electric pickup truck planned for launch in 2027. Industry reports indicate Ford is targeting a starting price of around $30,000, a figure that would signal an attempt to pull electric pickups out of the premium niche and back toward the mass market. The truck is expected to be a four-door model, with a traditional cargo bed and additional front storage, including a frunk.

At the center of the strategy is a focus on manufacturing efficiency. Reports suggest the UEV approach is designed to reduce the number of components and fasteners, cut down on production stations, and speed up assembly. Among the figures cited in industry coverage are estimates of roughly 20% fewer parts, about 25% fewer fasteners, around 40% fewer workstations, and assembly that could be up to 15% faster. These numbers align with Ford’s messaging about “pursuing efficiency” and “chasing physics” as a way to reshape the EV cost equation.

Battery strategy is also a major piece of the cost story. Ford is linking the future UEV lineup to LFP battery chemistry, and to its planned battery production at BlueOval Battery Park Michigan. Coverage of the project indicates the facility is expected to begin production in 2026, with a planned capacity of about 20 GWh per year.

Taken together, the UEV program looks like Ford’s attempt to build a new foundation for more affordable electric vehicles—one where the competitive edge comes not from headline range numbers or peak performance, but from a deeper redesign of platform engineering and manufacturing methods. If the company’s targets hold up, UEV could become more than just another EV architecture for Ford, but a critical reset point as global competition intensifies and buyers increasingly prioritize price and practicality.