Ford CEO Jim Farley has provided an encouraging progress report on the company’s secretive “skunkworks” electric vehicle platform, a project he likens to the ambitious Apollo space missions of the 1960s and 70s. The Universal EV (UEV) Platform, designed to compete with Chinese manufacturers on cost and technology, is now in the prototype phase, with key manufacturing and software components in place.
Universal EV Platform Reaches Prototype Milestone
Speaking with InsideEVs, Farley revealed that critical steps for the UEV platform, including supply chain sourcing, parts design, and plant retrofitting, are largely complete. The company has ceased production of the Escape at its Kentucky facility to retool it for the new EV architecture. Prototype vehicles are now being built and tested with Ford’s proprietary software, with Farley expressing excitement over seeing these vehicles “turning and stopping with Ford software.”
“All the parts are quoted and designed, and now we’re deeply into retrofitting the manufacturing facility,” Farley stated. “We stopped Escape production. We have the megacasting machines now up and running. We’re building prototypes now with our own zonal electric architecture software controlling the vehicles. I was very excited to see, you know, the vehicle turning and stopping with Ford software, and the silicon that we designed and specced.”
The UEV platform, announced last year, is slated for a 2027 debut with a Kentucky-assembled electric pickup truck expected to start around $30,000. Ford anticipates up to seven additional variants, or “top hats,” will eventually utilize this platform, potentially including a midsize crossover.
Ambitious Project Aims to Reset EV Manufacturing
Farley described the UEV project as a “uniquely American, high-risk project” akin to the challenges faced during the Apollo and Gemini space programs. The initiative, which originated in California to foster independence, is led by industry veterans from companies like Tesla, Apple, and Rivian. It aims to fundamentally change how Ford produces electric vehicles, incorporating a 20% reduction in parts compared to conventional vehicles and utilizing new lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries co-developed with CATL.
The inaugural truck is designed to offer the interior space of a midsize crossover within the footprint of the Maverick. It will feature a ground-up zonal electric architecture supporting over-the-air updates and offer “eyes-off” automated driving assistance approximately one year after launch. A key objective is to achieve production costs comparable to those of Chinese manufacturer BYD in Mexico, a critical step towards making electric vehicles profitable.
Navigating Challenges and Competition
Despite the progress, Farley acknowledged the inherent risks associated with such an experimental undertaking. “We have taken on so many experimental approaches to new suppliers,” he noted. “You know, it’s a totally different way of building the vehicle. New workstation designs. All new IT solutions to support the parts release. There are so many experimental things for Ford that right now, we’re just focused on landing the plane.”
The UEV project is seen as crucial for Ford’s global competitiveness, particularly against rapidly advancing Chinese automakers. “They’re the most important competitors, I would say, these days, along with South Koreans,” Farley said of China’s automotive industry. He expressed encouragement that the U.S. President is focused on the topic of international automotive competition and policy.
When pressed about potential future applications of the UEV platform, including whether it could underpin a next-generation Mustang Mach-E, Farley remained guarded. “I have lots of thoughts on that idea, but I’m not ready to talk about it,” he replied.