Ford CEO Jim Farley recently hinted at a coming "Model T moment", and now it’s clear what he meant. Ford is preparing to launch a compact, all-electric, ultra-affordable pickup truck, built to shake up the EV landscape much like the Model T once revolutionized personal transportation.

This new EV will be produced at Ford’s Louisville, Kentucky assembly plant, currently home to the heavy-duty F-Series Super Duty trucks. But it’s not just a one-off. This compact truck is the first in a new generation of electric vehicles, with plans for multiple SUV variants and even a potential sedan, all built on the same cost-saving platform.

Electric, Capable, and Surprisingly Quick

Farley didn’t hold back on what this truck will deliver. He outlined a range of features that go well beyond what you'd expect for a $30,000 EV:

• Range to compete with today’s best electric vehicles

• A structural, low-cost LFP battery, one-third smaller than current equivalents

• Backup power for your home, lasting up to six days in an outage

• Interior volume comparable to a Toyota RAV4

• A usable truck bed and front trunk (frunk) for added storage

• And a bold performance claim: it will be “faster than the Mustang twin-turbo”

That last detail is more symbolic than literal, since there’s no factory twin-turbo Mustang today, but the message is clear—performance won’t be sacrificed for price.

A New Way to Build Cars

Key to keeping costs down is Ford’s new Universal EV platform, a flexible architecture built to streamline manufacturing. It includes:

• Fewer parts and fasteners

• A massive 4,000-foot reduction in wiring

• Lightweight design through “unicasting” (large single-piece components)

• A battery that forms part of the vehicle’s structure

Supporting this is a complete overhaul of Ford's assembly process. Instead of the traditional conveyor belt, Ford will use a system called the “assembly tree,” where different sections of the vehicle are built in parallel before final assembly. According to Doug Field, Ford’s EV and design lead, this will not only speed up production but eliminate the need for workers to maneuver large parts through narrow doorways or chassis openings.

The Trade-Off: Say Goodbye to Escape and Corsair

Image Credit: Car Expert Australia

To make space for this new EV era, Ford is phasing out two popular models: the Ford Escape and Lincoln Corsair, both ending production after the 2026 model year.

This isn’t a minor shift. The Escape was Ford’s second best-selling SUV in 2024 and a key player in the highly competitive compact SUV segment. Still, Ford is investing $5 billion to retool the Louisville plant into the new hub for affordable electric vehicles.

Here’s what the post-2026 lineup will look like:

• Escape and Corsair: Discontinued

• New entry-level Ford SUV: Bronco Sport

• New entry-level Lincoln: Nautilus, a pricier midsize model

• Affordable EVs: The new pickup, at least two SUVs, and potentially a Lincoln version built on the same EV platform

This continues Ford’s broader trend of moving away from low-cost gas vehicles in the U.S. market. Previous cuts include the Fiesta, Focus, Fusion, and EcoSport. Even the Maverick pickup, initially seen as a budget-friendly option, has climbed in price.

Still, Ford is confident. The Bronco Sport, with its competitive price and standard all-wheel drive, is expected to fill the Escape's role. Meanwhile, anticipation is building for a Lincoln spin-off based on the new EV platform.

Production Begins in 2027

The first $30,000 electric truck is scheduled to enter production in 2027, marking the start of what could be a major new chapter for Ford, and potentially, for the entire EV market. If the company delivers on its promises, this vehicle could become the new people's car of the electric age, ushering in a modern-day Model T moment.