Ford’s $28,000 Fathom electric pickup enters prototype production in 2027
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Ford says its $28,000 Fathom electric pickup will enter prototype production at its converted Louisville Assembly Plant in the first quarter of 2027, marking a further step towards launch. The model matters because it is the first vehicle on Ford’s new Universal Electric Vehicle Platform, which the company is relying on to lower manufacturing costs and support a profitable affordable EV.
The more than 70-year-old factory has been transformed from producing petrol models including the Escape and Lincoln Corsair into an EV-only site in under a year, after thousands of tonnes of machinery were removed. Ford is investing $5 billion across Louisville and its BlueOval Battery Park in Michigan, with 4,000 jobs planned; it says a three-part “assembly tree”, large castings and private 5G quality checks could speed production by up to 15 per cent.
- Ford’s Fathom EV prototypes are due in early 2027.
- The pickup is expected to start at $28,000.
- Ford is redesigning production to reduce EV costs.
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Ford is one of the world’s largest carmakers, best known in the United States for its pickup trucks. Like other manufacturers, it is trying to increase sales of electric vehicles, which run on batteries rather than petrol or diesel.
Electric cars have often cost more to build and buy than comparable petrol vehicles, partly because batteries are expensive. Ford’s new vehicle platform is intended to use fewer parts and simpler production methods, helping it make lower-priced electric models while aiming to earn a profit.
Louisville Assembly Plant in Kentucky is a long-established Ford factory that previously made petrol-powered SUVs. The company is converting it for electric-vehicle production as part of a wider investment that also includes battery-making facilities in Michigan.
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Originally published by The Verge as “Ford’s $28,000 Fathom EV nears production after $2 billion factory overhaul”.