Overview

• Ford committed about $2 billion to convert its Louisville, Kentucky assembly plant and $3 billion to its Michigan battery park as part of the Universal EV investment.
• The new Universal EV platform uses a modular "assembly tree" approach that reduces parts count by around 20 percent, cuts fasteners by 25 percent and speeds assembly by up to 40 percent while shortening the wiring harness by 1.3 kilometers.
• Under a license from CATL, Ford will produce prism-type LFP cells in the U.S., targeting about 20 GWh per year with production slated to start in 2026.
• The first model on the platform is a midsize electric pickup priced around $30,000, offering 400-volt architecture, bidirectional charging and acceleration comparable to a Mustang EcoBoost, with customer deliveries planned for 2027.
• Ford describes the rollout as a high-stakes wager to reverse billions in EV unit losses and challenge low-cost rivals such as BYD, but acknowledges significant execution and market risks ahead.