2027 Ford Fathom: Ranger-sized ‘affordable’ electric ute named
After much speculation, Ford has named its revolutionary new electric ute/pickup the Fathom, while confirming its price.
The Ford Fathom will usher the brand into a new era of EVs, as the Blue Oval today confirmed the electric pickup’s name and starting price for the US.
Previously expected to be called the Ranchero – throwing back to the sedan and wagon-based ute from the late 1950s to 1970s – the Fathom will launch in 2027 as Ford’s first model on its Universal EV Platform.
Ford previously claimed the Fathom would start from “about US$30,000 (A$42,650)”, but today confirmed a list price of US$28,350 (A$40,305) for the range-opening EV, excluding taxes and other fees.
That puts it right around the price of the Escape-based Maverick ute, which starts from US$28,145 (A$40,015), while also just above the highly anticipated Slate Truck, opening from US$24,950 (A$35,470) but only as a two-seat single-cab.
“Projected to have more passenger volume than a Toyota RAV4, with a large, high-resolution touch screen, bidirectional power capability, digital key, as well as a frunk and bed for added cargo flexibility, Fathom seats five adults and is just as comfortable on a workday commute as it is on a weekend adventure,” said Ford Model e general manager, Kay Hart.
The carmaker has previously claimed the new ute will be “as fast as a Mustang EcoBoost” (which accelerates from 0-100km/h in about 5.5 seconds).
Last month, Ford announced the entire Universal Vehicle Platform family will feature integrated Apple Maps, allowing the navigation software to be natively installed in the infotainment system, which extends to the driver’s display.
Jordan Mulach
Ford says that by using Apple’s new MapKit for Automotive SDK, its EVs will “offer drivers turn-by-turn directions using natural language, real-time traffic and incident information, intuitive search featuring detailed place cards, and routing options to help users easily find the best route to their destination”.
Most significantly, Ford has confirmed the UEVs will use “road-level information from Apple Maps as part of the development of its next-generation BlueCruise hands-free highway driving capability to deliver a more seamless on-ramp-to-off-ramp experience”.
In layman's terms, this means Apple Maps will work in tandem with Ford’s BlueCruise hands-free, semi-autonomous driving system to help guide the vehicle to its destination without further input from the driver behind the steering wheel.
Jordan Mulach
Ford CEO Jim Farley has previously said “our first body style will be a pickup, but it’s really not a pickup. I would say it’s a new silhouette”, he told The Verge’s Decoder podcast.
“What I mean by that is that it has more room than a RAV4, the best-selling passenger car in the US. That doesn’t include its frunk and pickup truck bed.
“I think the whole package is something that has not been offered in the US or anywhere else to date. I think this first product is quite revolutionary.”
