Ford Chases Efficiency to Create a New, Affordable Mid-Sized Truck

From F1 aerodynamics to new battery technology, the Ford Universal Electric Vehicle promises to be its most affordable and efficient EV.

It began in August of 2025 when Ford announced a $5 billion investment in a new EV platform. I know, I know, you hate electric vehicles. But hear us out on this one. Ford’s allegedly done trying to replace your F-150 with an expensive super truck. Instead, it’s creating an entire new family of vehicles — Ford Universal Electric Vehicle (UEV) Platform — that are affordable, efficient, and most of all fun to drive.

The company called it a 21st-century Model T moment.

In order to achieve this, Ford is rethinking everything. From how the vehicle will be assembled, the materials that will be used, and what the design will look like. It is all being looked at from a new perspective. Today, Ford released an update on the UEV platform via a video posted on their YouTube channel.

Say what you want about electric vehicles, the way Ford is approaching the UEV is truly innovative, and it is yielding some impressive results. Results that should result in vastly improved EVs. However, some of these innovations could also trickle down to benefit traditional internal combustion vehicles as well.

So Ford created a team of so-called bounty hunters. However, instead of chasing Han Solo, these bounty hunters were charged with chasing down specific cost opportunities in order to make the UEV as efficient — and therefore as affordable — as possible.

Formula 1 Aerodynamics

Aerodynamics are important on every vehicle, but especially on an EV that is trying to squeeze out every mile of range. More than half of the aerodynamics team working on the UEV come from the world of Formula 1. Ford estimates the new mid-size electric truck will have more than 15 percent better aerodynamic efficiency than any pickup truck on the market today.

They achieved this by sweating the smallest details. The side mirrors were redesigned to shrink their size by 20 percent. This alone adds an estimated 1.5 miles of range. The underside of the truck was reworked to direct air away from the rear wheels. This gained 4.5 miles of range. A whole new truck body was developed, and Ford believes it will add nearly 50 miles to the driving range.

The Battery

40 percent of the cost and 25 percent of the total weight of an EV is related to the battery. So, this was obviously a major focus for the UEV team. The UEV battery will be a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) built at BlueOval Battery Park Michigan. These batteries do not use any expensive nickel or cobalt ingredients.  Ford also chose a “prismatic LFP battery form factor to enable an incredibly space-efficient ‘cell to structure’ architecture that turns the battery into an integral part of the truck’s skeleton.”

Unicasting

The Ford Universal Electric Vehicle will also be built differently than any other Ford in history. Unicasting will be used for the first time in any Ford vehicle line. This means that mid-size electric truck will have just two front and rear structural parts. For the sake of comparison, the Ford Maverick has 146 structural parts in the front and rear structures. Ford unicasting also provides significant weight savings compared to the competition. Ford claims a 27 percent advantage in casting weight over their competitors that have done similar unicastings (2022 Tesla Model Y).

The Results

The results of this UEV program appear to be impressive. Highlights include a 20 percent reduction in parts compared to a typical Ford vehicle program and 25 percent fewer fasteners. The wiring harness in the new mid-size truck will be more than 4,000 feet shorter and 22 pounds lighter than the wiring harness used in Ford’s first-gen electric SUV. The UEV is expected to have more passenger volume than a 2025 Toyota RAV4, plus a frunk and bed. The 0-60 mph time will be up to 2 seconds faster than the Subaru BRZ, Ford Maverick, and Hyundai Santa Cruz.

The new mid-size truck is scheduled for launch in 2027 with a target starting MSRP of about $30,000.

Will Ford be able to stay on budget this time, unlike with the F-150 Lightning? We can’t wait to find out and learn more!

Images: Ford

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Joe Kucinski

Joe has been obsessed with cars since he got his very first Matchbox toy in the ‘70s. In 2003, he found a new obsession in track days that led to obtaining his SCCA competition license in 2015. In 2019, he became a certified driving instructor for the National Auto Sport Association. His love for all things four wheels has never wavered, whether it's driving some of the best cars in the world on the racetrack, tackling 2,000-mile road trips in 2-seat sports cars or being winched off the side of a mountaintop in a Jeep. Writing for the suite of Internet Brands Auto Communities sites, including Rennlist.com, Ford Truck Enthusiasts, 6 Speed and more allows him to share that knowledge and passion with others.