REPORT: $25K Ford EV Will Be Built at Louisville Assembly

[ice-capades]

REPORT: $25K Ford EV Will Be Built at Louisville Assembly

https://fordauthority.com/2024/03/25k-ford-ev-will-be-built-at-louisville-assembly-report/

 

As Ford Authority reported back in February, The Blue Oval is shifting its focus away from pricier, more luxurious EVs and instead focusing on developing smaller, cheaper all-electric models. In fact, the automaker has secretly been working on a low-cost Ford EV for a couple of years now via a skunkworks project spearheaded by a former Tesla executive, which may use the Ford Escape as something of a template. Details regarding this new, cheap Ford EV have recently begun to emerge, helping to shed some light on what we can expect from it. Now, yet another interesting footnote has surfaced via Automotive News – where this future Ford EV may be built.

 

 

According to an unnamed source, the future low-cost Ford EV will be built at the Louisville Assembly plant, which currently produces the Ford Escape and Lincoln Corsair. Notably, as part of its new master contract agreement with the United Auto Workers (UAW) union inked last year, this same plant is slated to add an all-electric vehicle to its assembly line at some point before its expiration in 2028, too.

 

With FoMoCo shifting its electrification focus and reportedly delaying plans to build a three-row Ford Explorer EV for North America, it’s unclear if this new low-cost Ford EV – which is slated to cost around $25k and launch in late 2026 – will indeed be based on the Escape. However, multiple reports and comments from CEO Jim Farley over the past couple of years seem to indicate that it’s a possibility, at least.

 

As Ford Authority reported in late 2022, a product roadmap from a third-party company noted that the Escape was set to be replaced by an EV crossover in early 2026, and roughly one year later, the UAW’s new contract with the automaker noted that production of both the Escape and Lincoln Corsair were set to continue through 2028, though the aforementioned new EV product would be joining them at some point – all before Farley noted that “if you have anything larger than Escape, it better be really functional or a work vehicle as an EV,” while speaking at the recent 2024 Wolfe Conference.

Edited March 20 by ice-capades

[Oac98]

7 minutes ago, ice-capades said:

REPORT: $25K Ford EV Will Be Built at Louisville Assembly

https://fordauthority.com/2024/03/25k-ford-ev-will-be-built-at-louisville-assembly-report/

 

As Ford Authority reported back in February, The Blue Oval is shifting its focus away from pricier, more luxurious EVs and instead focusing on developing smaller, cheaper all-electric models. In fact, the automaker has secretly been working on a low-cost Ford EV for a couple of years now via a skunkworks project spearheaded by a former Tesla executive, which may use the Ford Escape as something of a template. Details regarding this new, cheap Ford EV have recently begun to emerge, helping to shed some light on what we can expect from it. Now, yet another interesting footnote has surfaced via Automotive News – where this future Ford EV may be built.

 

 

According to an unnamed source, the future low-cost Ford EV will be built at the Louisville Assembly plant, which currently produces the Ford Escape and Lincoln Corsair. Notably, as part of its new master contract agreement with the United Auto Workers (UAW) union inked last year, this same plant is slated to add an all-electric vehicle to its assembly line at some point before its expiration in 2028, too.

 

With FoMoCo shifting its electrification focus and reportedly delaying plans to build a three-row Ford Explorer EV for North America, it’s unclear if this new low-cost Ford EV – which is slated to cost around $25k and launch in late 2026 – will indeed be based on the Escape. However, multiple reports and comments from CEO Jim Farley over the past couple of years seem to indicate that it’s a possibility, at least.

 

As Ford Authority reported in late 2022, a product roadmap from a third-party company noted that the Escape was set to be replaced by an EV crossover in early 2026, and roughly one year later, the UAW’s new contract with the automaker noted that production of both the Escape and Lincoln Corsair were set to continue through 2028, though the aforementioned new EV product would be joining them at some point – all before Farley noted that “if you have anything larger than Escape, it better be really functional or a work vehicle as an EV,” while speaking at the recent 2024 Wolfe Conference.

Hopefully they don’t get the plan changed on them multiple times like Ford has done to us at OAC! 

[akirby]

Sounds like their “unnamed source” is the UAW contract.

[DeluxeStang]

This isn't terribly surprising, once we heard that this affordable utility wasn't bronco sport based, a lot of us assumed it was a next gen electric escape, or something similar. Fingers crossed they're putting effort into making it appealing beyond just having a low price point and it doesn't just end up being some generic blob. 

[silvrsvt]

4 hours ago, DeluxeStang said:

This isn't terribly surprising, once we heard that this affordable utility wasn't bronco sport based, a lot of us assumed it was a next gen electric escape, or something similar. Fingers crossed they're putting effort into making it appealing beyond just having a low price point and it doesn't just end up being some generic blob. 

 

I have this feeling its going to be like the Maverick hybrid at launch-the $25K model will be hard to get or only have something like 250 miles of range.

 

The actual real deal will be priced like the Escape and have 325 miles or so of range. 

 

Or its actually $32K with a possible $7K tax break on it, which would make even more sense. 

[T-dubz]

https://fordauthority.com/2024/03/ford-ev-features-escape-footprint-and-explorer-sized-cabin/
 

this article says it could be the size of an escape but have interior size close to explorer. My explorer is pretty spacious inside, so that would be nice to have in a smaller package.

[Andrew L]

1 hour ago, T-dubz said:

https://fordauthority.com/2024/03/ford-ev-features-escape-footprint-and-explorer-sized-cabin/
 

this article says it could be the size of an escape but have interior size close to explorer. My explorer is pretty spacious inside, so that would be nice to have in a smaller package.

 

I imagine they get this by pushing the driver's area forward with there not being a need for an engine up front?

[DeluxeStang]

1 hour ago, T-dubz said:

https://fordauthority.com/2024/03/ford-ev-features-escape-footprint-and-explorer-sized-cabin/
 

this article says it could be the size of an escape but have interior size close to explorer. My explorer is pretty spacious inside, so that would be nice to have in a smaller package.

Sounds promising on the surface, but a lot of those maximizing interior space products tend to adopt that blob on wheels look. I really hope that's not the direction they're going in. 

 

Another interesting point mention was how sources close to this project said they're planning lots of different top hats for this platform, with the goal of making it all things to all people in their own words. They said it would be used for trucks, vans, SUVs, and beyond. That beyond part is really interesting to me. Fingers crossed this means some sort of car form factor is in development as Ford is going back to smaller, more affordable vehicles. 

[DeluxeStang]

3 minutes ago, Andrew L said:

 

I imagine they get this by pushing the driver's area forward with there not being a need for an engine up front?

It could also be them stretching the wheelbase, but shortening the overhangs. That would give you more space, look better, and improve ride and handling dynamics.