Ford Universal Electric Platform

[02MustangGT]

2 hours ago, rmc523 said:

those comments are contradictory.

 

how can Farleys hands be on the tailgate while Field’s hands are also pointing toward the tailgate despite pointing the opposite direction?

Well if you read the quote and my comment, it’s actually not contradictory.  Farley’s hand is resting on the bedside rail towards the back of the bed.  Seems more likely given the perspective of the photo and how the article describes what is in the photo.  

[rmc523]

On 4/25/2026 at 4:34 PM, 02MustangGT said:

Well if you read the quote and my comment, it’s actually not contradictory.  Farley’s hand is resting on the bedside rail towards the back of the bed.  Seems more likely given the perspective of the photo and how the article describes what is in the photo.  

no, you said Farley’s hands are on the tailgate.  Ok, Sure.   But you then say Field’s hands are pointing toward the back of the vehicle…..which they’re not pointing at Farley, which you said is the back of the car….therefore they’re pointing forward toward the cab, or at best the other side of the car

[02MustangGT]

1 hour ago, rmc523 said:

no, you said Farley’s hands are on the tailgate.  Ok, Sure.   But you then say Field’s hands are pointing toward the back of the vehicle…..which they’re not pointing at Farley, which you said is the back of the car….therefore they’re pointing forward toward the cab, or at best the other side of the car

I’m not going to argue with you, see my post where I quoted and linked the article.

 

 

For additional clarification…Yes, Field’s hand is pointing towards (hanging over) the tailgate and the gentleman to Farley’s right has his right hand resting on the bedside rail.  Doesn’t matter anyway as it’s all speculation.  

[DeluxeStang]

Could be nothing, but I was on the maverick forums where they were discussing the skunk truck. Someone was looking at patent filings for Ford, and found a patent showing the assembly process for the skunkworks EVs. 

 

But the image isn't a truck. It almost looks like a second gen mach-e or something. 

[fordmantpw]

Just add a bed and it's a truck.

 

That's the way I'm envisioning these new EVs.  Modular components that get stuck together to make a different vehicle.  Want an SUV?  Add a covered backend.  Want a truck?  Extend it a bit and add a bed.  Want a sedan, add a trunk.  Want a seven passenger SUV?  Take the truck and cover the bed.

[DeluxeStang]

4 hours ago, fordmantpw said:

Just add a bed and it's a truck.

 

That's the way I'm envisioning these new EVs.  Modular components that get stuck together to make a different vehicle.  Want an SUV?  Add a covered backend.  Want a truck?  Extend it a bit and add a bed.  Want a sedan, add a trunk.  Want a seven passenger SUV?  Take the truck and cover the bed.

That would save money, but they'd look pretty terrible lol. Like if they did a sedan that has the proportions of the truck just with a sedan roofline or something. I'd rather see everything having its own unique design so it's less compromised. 

[DeluxeStang]

Coming back to it, whatever this is looks to be about the size of the maverick/CE1 truck. I wonder if this is the CE1 design or some sort of proposal for a next gen maverick. 

[Motorpsychology]

7 hours ago, DeluxeStang said:

Could be nothing, but I was on the maverick forums where they were discussing the skunk truck. Someone was looking at patent filings for Ford, and found a patent showing the assembly process for the skunkworks EVs. 

 

But the image isn't a truck. It almost looks like a second gen mach-e or something. 

Those buttresses out back make it look like a Mach-e

[Sherminator98]

9 hours ago, DeluxeStang said:

That would save money, but they'd look pretty terrible lol. Like if they did a sedan that has the proportions of the truck just with a sedan roofline or something. I'd rather see everything having its own unique design so it's less compromised. 

 

I think your not seeing the forest from the trees my friend-that Patent drawing is showing a substructure that would hidden by other sheet metal that makes up the actual styling of the vehicle.

 

Its like looking into the engine bay of the Escape and noticing that all the substructure (shock towers/firewall) are identical to the Focus

 

The C pillar of the patent drawing could be modified (well at least to me) into a truck/hatchback/CUV as needed without having to change the hardpoints needed for crash protection etc. 

[fordmantpw]

10 hours ago, DeluxeStang said:

That would save money, but they'd look pretty terrible lol. Like if they did a sedan that has the proportions of the truck just with a sedan roofline or something. I'd rather see everything having its own unique design so it's less compromised. 

 

See this:

 

54 minutes ago, Sherminator98 said:

 

I think your not seeing the forest from the trees my friend-that Patent drawing is showing a substructure that would hidden by other sheet metal that makes up the actual styling of the vehicle.

 

Its like looking into the engine bay of the Escape and noticing that all the substructure (shock towers/firewall) are identical to the Focus

 

The C pillar of the patent drawing could be modified (well at least to me) into a truck/hatchback/CUV as needed without having to change the hardpoints needed for crash protection etc. 

 

Obviously, the top hat would differ to fit the vehicle type, but that's the cheap part.  The platform and structure underneath is the expensive part of building the vehicle.  That will be largely the same across all of the CE1 vehicles.

 

[rmc523]

13 hours ago, DeluxeStang said:

That would save money, but they'd look pretty terrible lol. Like if they did a sedan that has the proportions of the truck just with a sedan roofline or something. I'd rather see everything having its own unique design so it's less compromised. 

 

He's not suggesting literal plug and play....

[DeluxeStang]

2 hours ago, fordmantpw said:

 

See this:

 

 

Obviously, the top hat would differ to fit the vehicle type, but that's the cheap part.  The platform and structure underneath is the expensive part of building the vehicle.  That will be largely the same across all of the CE1 vehicles.

 

Gotcha, I've just seen some brands, including Ford, sharing sheet metal between products to save costs, think how the explorer and Capri for instance share some of their body work, and I thought that was what you were proposing. But I see where you're coming from. 

[rmc523]

This is good news that they're applying the CE1 learnings to ICE products:

 

Ford’s EV Skunk Works Tech Is Quietly Reshaping The Gas Lineup Too | Carscoops

 

Speaking during an earnings call, Farley said the platform “represents a step change in efficiency and cost, especially for the EV market.” While the company has been touting those benefits for awhile, the executive revealed they’re now integrating these “skunk works breakthroughs” into their mainstream products and processes.

 

He went on to say the Blue Oval is applying learnings from the program to their high-volume internal combustion and hybrid lines, and this will help to reduce costs as well as improve quality. Farley added that by the end of the decade, 90% of their global nameplates will offer electrified powertrains including hybrid, electric, and range-extended options.

[DeluxeStang]

1 hour ago, rmc523 said:

This is good news that they're applying the CE1 learnings to ICE products:

 

Ford’s EV Skunk Works Tech Is Quietly Reshaping The Gas Lineup Too | Carscoops

 

Speaking during an earnings call, Farley said the platform “represents a step change in efficiency and cost, especially for the EV market.” While the company has been touting those benefits for awhile, the executive revealed they’re now integrating these “skunk works breakthroughs” into their mainstream products and processes.

 

He went on to say the Blue Oval is applying learnings from the program to their high-volume internal combustion and hybrid lines, and this will help to reduce costs as well as improve quality. Farley added that by the end of the decade, 90% of their global nameplates will offer electrified powertrains including hybrid, electric, and range-extended options.

The mustang would really benefit from a skunkworks style makeover. Lower cost, less weight, better quality, doing all of that would take the mustang to the next level. 

[akirby]

1 hour ago, DeluxeStang said:

The mustang would really benefit from a skunkworks style makeover. Lower cost, less weight, better quality, doing all of that would take the mustang to the next level. 

And never recover the investments costs on the coupe alone.  Maybe with a sedan and suv coming it could work.t

[DeluxeStang]

53 minutes ago, akirby said:

And never recover the investments costs on the coupe alone.  Maybe with a sedan and suv coming it could work.t

A new unibody platform perhaps that underpins the coupe, a sedan, a gas powered mach-e, and maybe some other enthusiast stuff?

[akirby]

2 hours ago, DeluxeStang said:

A new unibody platform perhaps that underpins the coupe, a sedan, a gas powered mach-e, and maybe some other enthusiast stuff?

Potentially, if the sedan and SUV sales are high enough