Ford’s revolutionary new ute spied
The first vehicle to be underpinned by Ford’s Universal EV Platform has been spotted in the wild.
Ford has done well to keep its upcoming electric Maverick-sized pickup under wraps, at least until now.
Journalists from US outlet The Autopian spotted what is believed to be a test mule for the Ford electric pickup in California, being tested with heavy camouflage, but giving us our first indication of what the ute will look like.
Closer in size to the Maverick – which itself is based on the Escape SUV – than the Ranger and even larger F-150, the pickup has a low-set roof above its dual-cab body, though it appears its tub isn’t too much smaller than that of a short-wheelbase F-150.
Ford’s camouflage has done its job by preventing us from seeing the finer details of its design, though the brand has formerly alluded to it being sleek in a bid to reduce drag and increase range.
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), and will start from “about US$30,000 (A$45,400)”.
While its name hasn’t officially been announced, Ford has recently trademarked the Ranchero name, previously used on a car-based ute in the US - similar to the Ford Falcon, or Chevrolet’s El Camino.
Due to launch in 2027 and become the first vehicle running Ford’s Universal EV Platform, the brand has gone so far as to claim its recent relationship with the world of Formula 1 has helped development.
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.”
In total, Ford claims its tweaks to the conventional shape of a pickup with the developments of its EV mean it is 15 per cent more aerodynamically efficient, delivering up to 80km more driving range.
