Overview
- Ford confirmed that the first Universal EV (UEV) vehicle will be a four‑door midsize pickup priced around $30,000 and planned for sale in 2027.
- The UEV platform will use a 400‑volt electrical architecture and prismatic lithium‑iron‑phosphate (LFP) cells to cut battery cost and free up interior space, Ford says.
- Camouflaged prototypes were recently photographed charging at a Tesla Supercharger and appear to include a native NACS charge port that would allow Supercharger use without an adapter.
- The company is retooling its Louisville, Kentucky assembly plant to build the small pickup and has changed leadership on the program with Alan Clarke promoted as the UEV lead as Doug Field departs.
- The shift follows multibillion‑dollar EV losses, including a roughly $19.5 billion writedown and the discontinuation of higher‑cost electric models, and it signals Ford’s broader pivot to smaller, lower‑cost EVs and hybrids that the company hopes will restore profitability and lower ownership costs for buyers.