Ford’s first ultra-cheap EV is called Fathom, a full-featured truck for $28,350
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Ford has revealed the name and price of its long-teased low-cost electric vehicle: a midsize truck called Fathom, starting at $28,350. Unlike the rival Slate Truck, which strips out features such as paint, power windows and a stereo to hit a $24,950 starting price, the Fathom will come fully equipped, including a large touchscreen with Apple Maps, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The launch matters because Ford has struggled with EV demand in the past, losing billions and cancelling the F-150 Lightning, so this represents a fresh attempt to make electric trucks commercially viable through affordability rather than stripped-back simplicity.
Ford says the Fathom will offer more interior volume than a Toyota RAV4, plus a bed and a frunk, and will include the sensors needed for its Blue Cruise hands-free driving system, though using that feature will likely cost extra. The low price relies on a new "Universal Electric Vehicle" platform, built by assembling the front, middle and rear sections in parallel before joining them, cutting component and labour costs. Production is due to begin at Ford's Louisville Assembly Plant next year, with pre-orders opening in early 2027 and deliveries before the end of 2027.
- Ford's cheap electric truck, Fathom, starts at $28,350
- Fully featured, unlike the stripped-down rival Slate Truck
- Production starts 2027 at Louisville plant, pre-orders early 2027
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Ford's Fathom is a new electric pickup truck the company plans to sell for $28,350, positioning it as an affordable alternative in a market where EVs have often struggled to gain buyers on price. It comes fully equipped with features such as a touchscreen with Apple and Android connectivity, unlike some rival low-cost EVs that cut costs by removing extras. Ford is the key player here, alongside Slate Auto, whose cheaper but more basic Slate Truck is the closest comparison.
The launch matters because Ford has previously found it difficult to sell electric vehicles profitably, having lost billions of dollars on EVs and cancelled its electric F-150 Lightning truck. Fathom is built on a new manufacturing approach designed to bring costs down by assembling the vehicle in sections, which Ford hopes will make electric trucks a viable mass-market product rather than a niche, loss-making one.
The truck is due to be built at Ford's Louisville plant, with pre-orders opening in early 2027 and deliveries expected later that year, meaning its real test in the marketplace is still some way off.
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