Automotive giant Ford has big plans for smaller electric vehicle batteries, according to InsideEVs.
During a recent announcement on factory upgrades in Kentucky, Ford detailed plans to build a new electric pickup truck there that would have a battery a third smaller than competitors while maintaining similar range.
Designers claim to have removed three-quarters of the parts, two-thirds of the welds, half of the fasteners, and over 4,000 feet of wiring in the new vehicle compared to Ford’s first electric SUV. It should also have more passenger room than the Toyota RAV4. Best of all, Ford is aiming for a $30,000 price point.
Ford says the key to these improvements is a new manufacturing process. While the traditional assembly line would have the whole vehicle traverse down and have parts added throughout, Ford intends to build the new EV using a “tree” model, whereby three large modules would be assembled separately, then brought together to create the final product.
“This could translate to more affordable EVs and a better business case for Ford, something it needs badly,” said Tim Levin of InsideEVs. “The company’s EV division has lost some $12 billion over the last two-and-a-half years as it has invested in R&D and sold relatively few vehicles.”
Making electric vehicles more affordable is important for increasing adoption. The savings on lower up-front consumer costs to EVs would be on top of fuel savings versus gas cars, which can be up to $2,200, according to Department of Energy estimates.
Those savings can be further extended by charging a car with solar power. EnergySage can connect you to a vetted local installer who can quote a system right-sized for your home and EV.
Light-duty vehicles produce a large proportion of atmospheric pollution in America, which in turn exacerbates destructive weather patterns, such as floods and droughts. These trends have caused significant damage to farming yields and housing costs. Many of those pain points can be alleviated by getting more drivers into EVs.
Ford says its new electric truck will be available in 2027.
“Ford is going to deliver what no other automaker has been able to: a family of affordable, adaptable electric vehicles that offer multiple body styles for work and play — including for export — and whose LFP batteries will be assembled in America, not imported from China,” said Ford CEO Jim Farley.
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