Ford Motor Company on Thursday unveiled its new midsize electric pickup truck, Fathom, announcing a starting price of about $28,000 as the automaker seeks to expand access to electric vehicles with a more affordable offering.
The announcement marks a key step in Ford’s revamped electric vehicle strategy, positioning Fathom among the few EVs in the US market priced below $30,000.
Developed from the ground up by a specialised team based in California, the new pickup is designed to compete with rivals including Tesla and Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD in the increasingly competitive global EV market.
To support production, Ford has introduced a new assembly-tree manufacturing process at its Louisville Assembly Plant. Under the system, three separate production lines—for the front section, rear section, and structural battery and seating components—operate simultaneously before merging at the end of the assembly process, replacing the traditional single conveyor-belt system.
The company said the manufacturing approach is intended to improve production efficiency while lowering costs.
The launch follows a major overhaul of Ford’s electric vehicle strategy after the company recorded a $19.5 billion writedown late last year. As part of that restructuring, Ford cancelled several planned EV models, including its larger and more expensive Lightning electric pickup truck.
With a starting price below $30,000, Fathom joins a limited segment of affordable vehicles in the US market. According to car-shopping platform Edmunds, only 36 gasoline-powered, hybrid and electric models were available for less than $30,000 as of May 2026.
The new pickup will also rank among Ford’s least expensive vehicles, alongside the Maverick pickup, which currently starts at just under $30,000.
Ford said pre-orders for the Fathom will open in early 2027, with customer deliveries expected to begin in the autumn of 2027.
The company added that the pickup will be the first in a planned family of vehicles built on its next-generation electric vehicle platform, underscoring its renewed focus on delivering lower-cost EVs to a broader customer base.
Boluwatife Enome
