Ford launches Fathom electric truck starting at $28,350

Ford has announced the Fathom, a fully featured midsize electric truck starting at $28,350, aimed at revitalizing its EV strategy after billions in losses from the cancelled F-150 Lightning. Built on Ford's new Universal EV Platform in Louisville, Kentucky, the truck utilizes a streamlined, parallel assembly process to cut costs. Developed by a Los Angeles skunkworks team led by former Tesla executive Alan Clarke, the Fathom will compete against the spartan $24,950 Slate Truck when deliveries begin in late 2027.

Fathom electric truck launch

• ▪Ford announced its next-generation midsize electric truck, named Fathom, which will start at a base price of $28,350
• ▪The Ford Fathom will support Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, featuring integrated Apple Maps, but it will not support Apple's next-generation CarPlay Ultra
• ▪The Ford Fathom will feature five seats, an open bed, a front trunk, and an interior volume larger than a Toyota RAV4
• ▪Ford will open pre-orders and officially reveal the Fathom electric truck in early 2027
• ▪The Ford Fathom is scheduled to enter production at the updated Louisville Assembly Plant in Kentucky in 2027, with deliveries beginning in fall 2027

Universal EV Platform strategy

• ▪The Universal Electric Vehicle platform represents Ford's first vehicles designed from the ground up to use electric powertrains to optimize range and efficiency
• ▪Ford CEO Jim Farley is utilizing the Universal Electric Vehicle platform to lower production costs and compete against Tesla and Chinese electric vehicles
• ▪The Ford Fathom will be built on Ford's new Universal Electric Vehicle platform, which allows parallel assembly of the front, rear, and middle sections of the vehicle

Sub-$30,000 pricing achievement

• ▪The Ford Fathom will include integrated hardware for Ford's hands-free BlueCruise system, though enabling the driving assistance service will likely require an extra fee
• ▪With a destination and delivery fee, the Ford Fathom's starting price rises to $29,945, keeping it just under Ford's $30,000 target
• ▪The base price of the Ford Fathom includes a standard-range lithium iron phosphate battery pack, though Ford has not disclosed the official driving range

Slate Truck competition

• ▪Unlike the fully featured Ford Fathom, the base Slate Truck lacks paint, power windows, a touchscreen, and a basic stereo system
• ▪The Slate Truck is scheduled to begin customer deliveries in late 2026, giving it an approximate 12-month head start over the Ford Fathom
• ▪The Ford Fathom's starting price of $28,350 is $3,400 more than the Slate Truck, a spartan, feature-free electric pickup starting at $24,950

Skunkworks development team

• ▪The Ford Fathom and its Universal Electric Vehicle platform originated as a skunkworks project led by former Tesla executive Alan Clarke
• ▪Ford's electric vehicle development team is based in Los Angeles and includes talent recruited from Rivian, Tesla, and Apple's former car project

Electric truck market challenges

• ▪The F-150 Lightning electric truck struggled in the United States market, moving just over 10,000 units during its best sales quarter
• ▪Ford's previous electric truck effort, the F-150 Lightning, suffered from low buyer and dealer interest, resulting in billions of dollars in losses and its eventual cancellation