Ford has unveiled a universal EV platform and a complementary production system intended to lower cost, simplify manufacturing, and support a family of software-defined EVs. The first vehicle on the platform will be a midsize, four-door electric pickup built at Louisville Assembly Plant for U.S. and export markets, with a launch targeted for 2027. Ford says the platform reduces parts by 20 percent, cuts fasteners by 25 percent, shortens the wiring harness by more than 4,000 ft, and trims harness mass by 22 lb versus its first-generation electric SUV. A structural, cobalt- and nickel-free prismatic LFP battery serves as the vehicle floor to lower the center of gravity and increase cabin space. Ford forecasts more passenger room than the latest Toyota RAV4, and targets a zero-to-60 mph performance comparable to a Mustang EcoBoost.
The “assembly tree” production system replaces a single conveyor with three parallel sub-lines that join the front and rear aluminum unicastings to a structural battery module that can be built up with seats, consoles, and carpeting off line. Kitted parts, integrated tools, and reworked ergonomics are designed to reduce complexity on the line. Ford estimates assembly for the midsize pickup could be up to 40 percent faster than current models at Louisville, with a net 15 percent speed improvement after reinvesting time into insourcing and automation.
Ford plans to invest nearly $2 billion in Louisville Assembly Plant, supported by incentives from the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority, securing 2,200 hourly jobs. The facility will add 52,000 sq ft to improve material flow, and will receive digital infrastructure upgrades for higher-speed, higher-coverage networking and quality scans. The company previously committed $3 billion to BlueOval Battery Park Michigan to produce prismatic LFP cells, with start-up planned next year. Combined, the investments total about $5 billion and are expected to create or secure nearly 4,000 direct jobs across the two sites, while expanding a domestic supplier base.
Headquarters executives said the program was developed by a small California-based skunkworks team working alongside Ford’s global engineering and manufacturing groups. The platform is intended to deliver lower five-year cost of ownership than a three-year-old used Tesla Model Y, according to Ford, while the new zonal electrical architecture is designed to reduce complexity and enable additional software functions. Additional specifications for the pickup, including pricing, EPA-estimated range, battery sizes, and charging times, will be announced closer to launch.
