Ford Universal Electric Platform

[Rick73]

Reality is that patent is almost certainly not vehicle model specific.  It’s likely generic.  We shouldn’t assume it’s meant only for new BEV truck just because truck looks different on drawings.  Again, I haven’t read patent but seriously doubt it applies solely to CE1 pickup.  Ford may not even use this design at all, but who knows, could just as easily use it on existing models in the future.  Granted, it’s probably limited to unitized designs since body-on-frame may be next to impossible to make work.

 

Also, the midgate/bulkhead design doesn’t have to roll out in first model year.  If it’s an option then Ford could concentrate on building simpler and cheaper trucks initially and then expand offerings in a few years.  On the other hand Ford could use design on CE1 as standard from onset but that would compound risks significantly IMO.  Just saying we shouldn’t read too much into a patent application.

[jpd80]

Just noticed over at GMI, BrightDrop plant in Ontario closed down,  not enough buyers .

Meanwhile e-Transit keeps rolling in….

[sullynd]

1 hour ago, jpd80 said:

Just noticed over at GMI, BrightDrop plant in Ontario closed down,  not enough buyers .

Meanwhile e-Transit keeps rolling in….

There was a whole discussion about it here when it happened. 
 

E-Transit isn’t selling like hotcakes, but benefits from not being bespoke (or Canadian).

 

I really hoped for a Brightdrop RV.  

[jpd80]

Off topic,

we got clobbered by hail on Saturday and Sunday here in Australia (Ipswich and Brisbane  area) two weekends in a row now..

 

hail up to the size of tennis balls, scarey as….My little Mazda CX7 got hit but we were on the edge of the storm so still driveable with dents..

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJBJ3Q6ZiC8

Edited Monday at 05:52 AM by jpd80

[fordmantpw]

11 hours ago, sullynd said:

There was a whole discussion about it here when it happened. 
 

E-Transit isn’t selling like hotcakes, but benefits from not being bespoke (or Canadian).

 

I really hoped for a Brightdrop RV.  

 

There was one just released (I don't remember the brand) and it looked pretty cool.  But, I guess they had to pull the plug on it.

[twintornados]

14 minutes ago, fordmantpw said:

 

There was one just released (I don't remember the brand) and it looked pretty cool.  But, I guess they had to pull the plug on it.

 

Literally....

[fordmantpw]

46 minutes ago, twintornados said:

 

Literally....

 

You saw what I did there....

[Rick73]

A few DIY guys tried building campers out of BrightDrop vans and IIRC ran into similar issues or limitations as those who used E-Transit, though extra living space and straighter walls made the conversion easier and more liveable.  Electric vans often have much lower payload capacity so when looking at building a home on wheels, especially that’s larger to start with, it doesn’t take much to overload the vehicle.   I think driving range and inability to charge conveniently in remote areas where campers often like to go to get away from others also discouraged many potential buyers of RVs (motorhomes) from OEM manufacturers.  If EV van costs and functionality were on par with ICE, major RV manufacturers would have built them in volume, but demand is just not there.

 

IMO what will likely be a Class B RV game changer are PHEV or EREV.  I personally can’t wait for a van with a factory-built electrical system similar to Pro Power Onboard capable of providing power for all camping (hotel) needs.

[twintornados]

14 minutes ago, fordmantpw said:

 

You saw what I did there....

 

I did....

[fordmantpw]

14 minutes ago, Rick73 said:

A few DIY guys tried building campers out of BrightDrop vans and IIRC ran into similar issues or limitations as those who used E-Transit, though extra living space and straighter walls made the conversion easier and more liveable.  Electric vans often have much lower payload capacity so when looking at building a home on wheels, especially that’s larger to start with, it doesn’t take much to overload the vehicle.   I think driving range and inability to charge conveniently in remote areas where campers often like to go to get away from others also discouraged many potential buyers of RVs (motorhomes) from OEM manufacturers.  If EV van costs and functionality were on par with ICE, major RV manufacturers would have built them in volume, but demand is just not there.

 

IMO what will likely be a Class B RV game changer are PHEV or EREV.  I personally can’t wait for a van with a factory-built electrical system similar to Pro Power Onboard capable of providing power for all camping (hotel) needs.

 

There is a Class A RV that is an EREV: https://www.thorindustries.com/worlds-first-hybrid-class-a-motorhome.

 

It's coming on a very limited trial basis for 2026.  My concern with it is it's small engine that only allows a top speed of 50 MPH after the battery is depleted.

 

Thor also has an electric van: https://www.thorindustries.com/innovation-vision-vehicle

[twintornados]

Isn't the chassis that underpins the USPS Next Gen Postal vehicle a stripped chassis Ford Transit FWD that is available in EV form as well? 

[rmc523]

On 11/1/2025 at 12:08 AM, DeluxeStang said:

Obligatory, patent images don't necessarily hint at future designs, but I believe this latest patent image gives us our best look yet at the CE1 truck. It carries over the cab forward proportions of the other patents, but looks far much flushed out in terms of details, and actually looks stylized. 

 

The first few cab forward patent images looked like pretty generic cab forward proposals, this looks like the kind of design I could actually see Ford releasing. 

 

I quite like it. This is about as good as a cab forward looking truck could look imo. 

 

Patent drawings don't always mean much, but sometimes they do.  I think you hit it by saying it's about as good looking as cab forward can be.

 

On 11/1/2025 at 6:29 PM, T-dubz said:

It sounds cool, but as the Maverick has shown, the bed size doesn’t really seem to matter. People who buy small trucks aren’t buying them to move big things. If you are trying to build an affordable EV, there’s no need to have features like this that increase cost when the customers would have been perfectly happy without it. There’s probably a reason GM is the only brand that offers midgates (that I know of). 

 

I think the difference here is, though, that they're trying to cover both compact and midsize segments with this product (i.e. EV trucks will be "CE1" and T3 trucks, without a "Ranger" model in the middle) so it seems like they're trying to give it more flexibility than just a Maverick EV.

 

Plus, not all patent ideas make it to production, so we'll see.

 

On 11/1/2025 at 9:15 PM, Rick73 said:

 

 

What I really like about the patent drawings above is that it shows the entire midgate effectively being relocated (at least in function) to the B pillar.  Functionally this means truck can be used like a single cab with very long bed.  Unlike Chevy’s design, the partition should provide much better air conditioning, heat, and a level of security for passengers and personal belongings.  Should help a lot with noise and weather protection also.  Much depends on how well the new bulkhead at B pillar is sealed.

 

Below are pictures of Chevy with it open just at bottom and also with the entire rear wall/gate folded flat; which adds just over 3-feet of length according to video.  As can be seen the driver and passenger are exposed to cargo area and there’s minimal protection between cabin and cargo in bed, or from weather.  I haven’t seen the patent but expect that if executed well the Ford design will have a lot of fans, including me. 😀

 

 

 

 

P.S. — IMO Maverick’s bed length’s affect on sales is an unknowable variable that can be assumed or estimated, but unless buyers previously had a choice, we don’t know how great sales could have been.  Granted market research can sometimes predict preferences but other times they are completely wrong because what people say and what they actually end up buying may be very different.  I’m no expert on this subject but know that my 6-ft Ranger bed was often a little short for my needs.  Much less than 6-feet and I would not have purchased my Ranger years ago.  I know 4~5 foot bed lengths work for many, but what we can’t know is how many additional truck buyers a 6-foot-plus bed may attract even if required once in a blue moon. 🌖 

 

 

I noticed that too - it's definitely an interesting idea.....the down side to this, though, is that you'd have to build the b-pillars in such a way to "accept" the c-pillar bulkhead, which might make the b-pillar area between the rows ugly with exposed seals......I guess the seals could be on the bulkhead itself and just meet up with the existing plastic at the b-pillars?

 

13 hours ago, jpd80 said:

Just noticed over at GMI, BrightDrop plant in Ontario closed down,  not enough buyers .

Meanwhile e-Transit keeps rolling in….

 

I don't know if I'd say they're "rolling in".....sales have been down 50% on the year (not including October yet).....

[rmc523]

2 minutes ago, twintornados said:

Isn't the chassis that underpins the USPS Next Gen Postal vehicle a stripped chassis Ford Transit FWD that is available in EV form as well? 

 

That was a rumor for a while - don't know what it ended up being.

[Sherminator98]

25 minutes ago, rmc523 said:

 

That was a rumor for a while - don't know what it ended up being.

 

It appears that Ford is going to be the powertrain manufacture for the ICE model and the prototypes used a transit for testing
 

From wikipedia

 

Either powertrain option can be built for future orders, and models with an ICE can be converted to battery-electric if required.^[53] Ford has been announced as the drivetrain subsystem supplier, including engines, traction motors, and transmissions.^[89] Ford Component Sales also will provide Oshkosh with key parts for suspensions and other components, including cabin interiors.^[90] The earlier Oshkosh prototype evaluated during testing was based on the Ford Transit van.^[85][86]

 

The ICE will be a Ford EcoBoost 2.0L turbocharged 4-cylinder gasoline engine.^[1] At CES 2022, the video display accompanying the NGDV display showed specifications for the EcoBoost and 8-speed automatic transmission that will be used in the ICE-drivetrain variant. The EcoBoost has a peak output of 250 hp (190 kW) at 5,500 RPM and 275 lb⋅ft (373 N⋅m) at 3,000 RPM, but this was de-rated to 206 lb⋅ft (279 N⋅m) for reliability.^[1]

[NLPRacing]

...

Edited Monday at 05:11 PM by NLPRacing
oops

[DeluxeStang]

1 hour ago, Sherminator98 said:

 

It appears that Ford is going to be the powertrain manufacture for the ICE model and the prototypes used a transit for testing
 

From wikipedia

 

Either powertrain option can be built for future orders, and models with an ICE can be converted to battery-electric if required.^[53] Ford has been announced as the drivetrain subsystem supplier, including engines, traction motors, and transmissions.^[89] Ford Component Sales also will provide Oshkosh with key parts for suspensions and other components, including cabin interiors.^[90] The earlier Oshkosh prototype evaluated during testing was based on the Ford Transit van.^[85][86]

 

The ICE will be a Ford EcoBoost 2.0L turbocharged 4-cylinder gasoline engine.^[1] At CES 2022, the video display accompanying the NGDV display showed specifications for the EcoBoost and 8-speed automatic transmission that will be used in the ICE-drivetrain variant. The EcoBoost has a peak output of 250 hp (190 kW) at 5,500 RPM and 275 lb⋅ft (373 N⋅m) at 3,000 RPM, but this was de-rated to 206 lb⋅ft (279 N⋅m) for reliability.^[1]

I'm curious, why didn't Ford elect to use the 2.5 hybrid in these mail trucks instead of the 2.0? The 2.5 is insanely reliable, something that would matter to mail fleets a lot, and a lot more fuel efficient. It just seems like that would have been the better powertrain to use. 

[bzcat]

9 minutes ago, DeluxeStang said:

I'm curious, why didn't Ford elect to use the 2.5 hybrid in these mail trucks instead of the 2.0? The 2.5 is insanely reliable, something that would matter to mail fleets a lot, and a lot more fuel efficient. It just seems like that would have been the better powertrain to use. 

 

Most likely it didn't meet USPS's performance metrics if Ford went with 2.5. 

[twintornados]

13 minutes ago, DeluxeStang said:

I'm curious, why didn't Ford elect to use the 2.5 hybrid in these mail trucks instead of the 2.0? The 2.5 is insanely reliable, something that would matter to mail fleets a lot, and a lot more fuel efficient. It just seems like that would have been the better powertrain to use. 

 

The original proposal called for ICE, Hybrid and EV....right now, they are focused on ICE....

[Texasota]

3 hours ago, fordmantpw said:

 

There is a Class A RV that is an EREV: https://www.thorindustries.com/worlds-first-hybrid-class-a-motorhome.

 

It's coming on a very limited trial basis for 2026.  My concern with it is it's small engine that only allows a top speed of 50 MPH after the battery is depleted.

 

Thor also has an electric van: https://www.thorindustries.com/innovation-vision-vehicle

And that 50 MPH limit will likely also come with a large MPG penalty. Speculation on my part, but after the marketing hype of EREVs wears off and reality sets in they will follow the same trajectory as EVs.

[Sherminator98]

Getting back on topic

Ford’s $30,000 Electric Pickup Is Taking Shape–And It’s Coming Fast

 

Quote

“This is not a distant plan, it's right around the corner for us at Ford,” Farley said during the company’s third-quarter earnings call late last month. “Sourcing is at 95% complete now. We are testing vehicles. Will begin installing equipment in Louisville for the UEV later this year, and we are on track to start production of our LFP cells at the Marshall, Michigan, plant later this year.”

 

[DeluxeStang]

47 minutes ago, Sherminator98 said:

Getting back on topic

Ford’s $30,000 Electric Pickup Is Taking Shape–And It’s Coming Fast

 

 

Very promising. The testing they're doing is most likely on private test courses, but if they start road testing soon, it won't be long before we see some prototypes. 

[morgan20]

6 hours ago, Sherminator98 said:

Getting back on topic

Ford’s $30,000 Electric Pickup Is Taking Shape–And It’s Coming Fast

 

 

That’s some of the best news from FoMoCo in quite some time. Maybe the “Model T moment” the head honcho spoke about is the real deal

[akirby]

13 hours ago, morgan20 said:

That’s some of the best news from FoMoCo in quite some time. Maybe the “Model T moment” the head honcho spoke about is the real deal

I don’t expect it to be earth shattering but I do think it will be very popular similar to the Maverick launch.  If they can truly keep the price to $30k with decent range and equipment they’ll sell a lot of them.

[rmc523]

1 hour ago, akirby said:

I don’t expect it to be earth shattering but I do think it will be very popular similar to the Maverick launch.  If they can truly keep the price to $30k with decent range and equipment they’ll sell a lot of them.

 

I'm cautiously optimistic.

[pictor]

Depending on range and towing I would trade in my ICE-Mav for a theoretical E-Mav.  I don't need something the size of Lightning but the Mav is just right for me.  Today's standard size truck is just too big. The guy across the street from me drives is  V8 powered F-150  3 miles back and forth to work and never seen him do anything but pick up coffee at Dunks in the morning.  From what I understand it more about who has the the biggest truck among his coworkers.