Ford is finally building an EV from the ground up that is not adapted from an existing gas platform. The company says its next mid-size electric pickup will arrive in 2027 as a 2028 model, and the internal goal lands around $30,000. If Ford delivers, this truck could become the one that resets expectations for what an entry-level electric pickup looks like.

The truck will be the first product on Ford’s new Universal Electric Vehicle platform, which Ford describes as a dedicated EV architecture. That matters because many of Ford’s modern EV efforts have leaned on shared foundations, which can force compromises in packaging, mass, and efficiency. A clean-sheet EV gives engineers room to rethink everything, from structure to wiring to how the vehicle manages energy.

Ford has not confirmed a name, but the company has been linked to the Ford Ranchero trademark. Either way, the key detail is that the design should surface this year, while sales should begin in 2027. Ford is staying quiet on range, battery size, and charging times for now, which suggests it wants the engineering story and cost target to lead the first wave of attention.

One of the biggest themes behind the program is efficiency as a cost weapon. Battery packs remain one of the most expensive pieces of any EV, so squeezing more miles out of fewer kilowatt-hours is the fastest path to a lower sticker price. Ford’s team reportedly treated efficiency like a non-negotiable, aiming to reduce drag, trim weight, and cut rolling resistance so it can use a smaller battery without giving up the kind of real-world range buyers expect.

Ford also appears to be taking a very modern approach to electrical architecture. The new platform uses a zonal setup that replaces a long list of separate modules with a small number of centralized controllers designed by Ford. That kind of simplification can reduce wiring, reduce mass, and reduce assembly time, and it is one of the behind-the-scenes changes that can make a mass-market EV pencil out.

The platform is also moving key systems in-house, including power electronics and charging control. Ford describes an integrated unit that combines multiple functions into a compact package, with bidirectional charging as part of the plan. That feature is already familiar to EV truck shoppers thanks to the Ford F-150 Lightning, where the ability to power tools and run a home during outages became one of the most talked-about benefits.

Then there is aerodynamics, which matters more on an EV pickup than most people realize. Pickups typically fight turbulence created by a blunt cab and an open bed, and that drag costs range. Ford says this truck will be shaped so the air flow behaves less like a traditional truck profile, with a claimed drag reduction that beats every pickup currently on sale and an efficiency gain that translates directly into more range for the same battery.

To get there, the team reportedly ran wind work early and often, treating aero development like a constant loop instead of a late-stage check. That means testing lots of small changes and measuring the payoff, then keeping only what earns its keep. Even small improvements can add up when the goal is to reduce the battery size needed to hit a target range.

Cost cutting also shows up in how the truck is built. Ford is leaning into very large castings that replace many smaller parts that would normally be welded or fastened together. The idea is fewer parts, fewer steps, less mass, and faster assembly. Ford claims the resulting underbody structure becomes highly simplified, with the battery pack acting as a structural element between major castings.

This new truck also marks a philosophical shift away from the era of EVs built around existing gas-era assumptions. Ford’s current EV lineup has leaned heavily on the Ford Mustang Mach-E and commercial products, while other programs have come and gone. With a dedicated EV platform and an EV-focused factory planned in Louisville, Kentucky, Ford is signaling it wants a scalable base for multiple affordable models, not just halo projects.

The biggest unanswered question is the one that decides everything: real-world value. A $30,000 target grabs attention, but the final range, charging performance, and trim strategy will determine whether this truck lands as a true mass-market breakthrough or a price that only applies to a narrow base model. Over the next year, Ford will need to back up the engineering talk with hard specs, and the market will be watching closely because a modern, efficient, dedicated EV pickup at this price could move the whole segment.