Ford is promising to introduce more affordable vehicles over the next few years, including five priced under $40,000.
Ford bets on more affordable EV and hybrid vehicles
Although Ford is best known for its trucks, like the F-Series, and big SUVs, such as the Explorer, the company is moving in a different direction.
As part of its updated Ford+ business plan, the American automaker announced it will “fill US plants with affordable new models” over the next few years.
These plans include launching five new vehicles priced under $40,000 by the end of the decade. At the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) Show, which opened this week, Andrew Frick, President of Ford Blue and Model e, revealed a few new clues about what to expect.
The lower-cost vehicles will range from “cars, trucks, SUVs, vans, and multi-energy,” Frick said, according to Automotive News.
All of them will be new vehicles and won’t bear the same name as Ford’s current lineup. The first of which will be a mid-size electric pickup, set to arrive in 2027.
While the other vehicles remain a mystery at this point, we know one will be a traditional 4-door car, which has been missing from Ford’s US lineup since it pulled the Fusion in 2020. The Mustang is Ford’s sole vehicle in the US that’s not an SUV, pickup truck, or van.
Ford has yet to say what type of powertrain it will have, but given Frick’s comments, it will likely be “electrified” in some way. Whether it will be a full EV or a hybrid remains up in the air.
After unveiling its new Universal EV Platform last year, Ford said it’s “flexible enough to underpin trucks, cars, and everything in between.”
In the meantime, Ford is gearing up to launch a new mid-size electric pickup, the first EV based on the new UEV platform.
CEO Jim Farley offered a sneak peek of a prototype under development for the first time (see it here) on Thursday, saying the UEV platform is “one of the most audacious and important projects in Ford’s history. American innovation is how we compete and win against China and the rest of the world.”
Ford previously said the mid-size EV pickup will start at around $30,000, offer more space than a Toyota RAV4, and have a lower cost of ownership than a Tesla Model Y. Will an electric sedan be next?
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