Overview
- Photos and video published Wednesday show a heavily camouflaged four-door prototype driving in Long Beach that looks markedly smaller than modern pickups.
- The sighting updates Ford’s testing timeline by providing on-road visual confirmation even though a company spokesperson had previously said prototypes were being tested off public streets and that public Michigan testing was planned.
- Observers report the prototype has a roomy rear seat, a short bed of roughly four feet, low ride height and aero-focused details that point to range and efficiency rather than off-road capability.
- Ford says the vehicle will be the first on its Universal Electric Vehicle platform, using manufacturing changes such as large aluminum castings (megacasting), far fewer parts and a dramatically shorter wiring harness to hit an aggressive roughly $30,000 entry price.
- The truck is planned for assembly at Ford’s Louisville plant, will use U.S.-made prismatic LFP battery cells according to the company, and could broaden EV access while helping Ford lower per-vehicle costs if the program meets its 2027 delivery target.