Ford announces its new Universal Electric Vehicle Platform for future EVs, declaring it a new ‘Model T’ moment in the quest for affordable EVs.
Now, Ford is coming out fighting on the EV front, announcing a new Universal EV Platform designed to slash manufacturing costs and able to underpin everything from a Hatch to a Pick-up to CVs.
Ford’s pitch promises the first vehicle to be built on the new EV Platform will be an electric Pick-up about the size of the Ranger and expected to cost from around £22k when it arrives in 2027.
The new Ford Platform will be assembled on a new production line with a ‘Three Tree’ assembly setup with three production lines merging in to a single final assembly line regardless of models, and utilise ‘Unicasting’ to create big complex structures in one go to cut costs, and cut production time by 40%.
The new EVs will come with prismatic lithium-ion Phosphate batteries as part of the structure, promising more range and lower weight for more cost savings, and with battery production in the US.
Clearly, all this is designed to feed the American market, but assuming all goes to plan it’s going to get rolled out globally, which should make it viable to come up with an electric replacement for the Ford Fiesta and Ford Focus at sensible and profitable prices.
David A says
I am,at the moment, not interested in all electric EV as their charge range is useless for long runs unless you are prepared to pay the 5 times private electricity cost at public charging points. A further disincentive for me is complexity of public charging – so many apps, parking restrictions and other ya ya matters all conspiring against wider electric uptake.
I f the new Ford platform can give 500 miles range in a car the size of (at maximum)of the outgoing Puma, then I will become interested in Ford again – as long as their warranty extends to that given by Toyota or Hyundai/Kia and their dealerships improve – our local one has an absolutely foul reputation.
mark A. geller says
Agreed on the charging away from home. I hate paying those fees, let alone the wait. I have an EV for in town ( EV6 Gt line rear drive) and get nearly 360 to 375 EPA miles. I use my Maverick hybrid for anything longer than 275 miles, as l get near 40 MPG. With the xtra cost of “away from home electric charging”, gas is cheaper in a hybrid and no waiting.