en.Wedoany.com Reported - Ford is conducting road tests of a compact electric truck with a starting price of around $30,000, slated for its debut next year. A latest set of spy photos shows this prototype parked alongside Ford's full-size SUV Expedition Max, visually highlighting its compact size, with the roofline barely reaching the shoulder line of the Expedition Max.
The Expedition Max measures 221.9 inches (5,636 mm) in length and 78 inches (1,981 mm) in height. In comparison, this electric pickup almost resembles a sedan with a cargo bed attached at the rear. The low roofline is a result of stringent cost control. Ford's designers have focused on aerodynamic efficiency, aiming to maximize range per mile, thereby enabling the use of smaller, lighter batteries. The company demonstrated the calculation in an early video: for every 1 mm (0.04 inches) increase in roof height, battery costs rise by $1.30, or range decreases by 0.055 miles.
In addition to the low roof, the vehicle features a steeply raked windshield, smaller side mirrors, low-resistance Michelin E Primacy tires, an integrated roof spoiler, and 19-inch X-shaped aerodynamic wheel covers. Ford claims these design elements make the truck's overall aerodynamics 15% better than "any other pickup on the market today," including the similarly sized Maverick. The production version is expected to have a lower, more rounded front end than the current prototype, whose front is heavily camouflaged to conceal styling details. The low-mounted headlights suggest a possible revival of the design language from Ford's second-generation F-Series of the 1950s.
The spy photos also reveal the interior, with a large freestanding infotainment screen dominating the center of the dashboard. A new camouflage pattern is also visible, featuring graphics such as dogs, sailboats, soccer balls, hearts, flowers, and motorcycles.
On the chassis front, this pickup is based on Ford's new Universal EV platform, developed by a dedicated secret in-house team. The architecture uses large aluminum single-piece castings, offering a 27% weight advantage over competitors, with 20% fewer parts, 25% fewer fasteners, and 40% fewer factory workstations. The platform also employs a simplified 48-volt low-voltage system, with wiring harnesses that are 4,000 feet (1,219 meters) shorter and 10 kilograms (22 pounds) lighter than those in Ford's first-generation electric vehicles.
Ford has not yet disclosed specific parameters for the electric motor or battery pack, but it is known that the truck will use cost-effective lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries. This is a key strategy for Ford to keep the starting price around $30,000.
As the 2027 debut window approaches, more details about this compact electric truck are expected to be gradually revealed in the coming months.
