Ford has named its upcoming midsize electric pickup Fathom and confirmed a starting price of $28,350 before destination charges. The truck will be the first vehicle built on Ford’s new Universal EV Platform and will open for preorders in early 2027, with deliveries expected later that year.
Including the $1,595 destination and delivery fee, the entry-level Fathom will cost $29,945. The starting price applies to a version equipped with a standard-range lithium iron phosphate battery, although Ford has not yet disclosed its estimated driving range.
Fathom Introduces Ford’s New EV Platform
Ford developed the Universal EV Platform to support a family of lower-cost electric vehicles while reducing manufacturing complexity. The Fathom will be assembled at the company’s Louisville, Kentucky plant using a redesigned production system intended to lower costs and speed up assembly.
The platform uses large aluminum castings to replace numerous individual components and a structural battery that forms part of the vehicle itself. Ford has previously said the architecture will eventually support other body styles, including crossovers, sedans and commercial vehicles.
Fathom will seat five adults and is projected to offer more passenger volume than a Toyota RAV4. Ford also confirmed a front trunk, pickup bed, large high-resolution touchscreen, digital key and bidirectional power capability.
Apple Maps and BlueCruise Come Built In
Every Fathom will include the hardware required for Ford’s next-generation BlueCruise driver-assistance system. The system will initially remain hands-off but eyes-on, with Ford developing more advanced supervised driving capabilities for future versions.
Apple Maps will be integrated directly into the vehicle through Apple’s MapKit for Automotive rather than relying on a connected iPhone. It will provide turn-by-turn directions, live traffic information, EV routing and battery preconditioning while also supplying road information to BlueCruise.
The Fathom will also support conventional Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It will not use Apple’s more deeply integrated CarPlay Ultra system.
Ford Targets the Affordable EV Market
Ford began developing the project through a small California-based team led by former Tesla executive Alan Clarke. The group recruited engineers from Tesla, Rivian and Apple’s discontinued vehicle programme while operating separately from much of Ford’s traditional product-development structure.
The effort became more important as Ford reduced spending on several of its previous electric vehicle programmes. The company has struggled to make its earlier battery-electric vehicles profitable and ended production of the F-150 Lightning after committing billions of dollars to the model.
At $29,945 including destination charges, the Fathom will enter a part of the U.S. EV market with relatively little competition. Rivals around that price include the Slate electric pickup and smaller non-truck models such as the Chevrolet Bolt.
Ford said the Fathom name was chosen after a nine-month process because it refers both to measuring depth and understanding something fully. The company plans to reveal the truck itself in early 2027 when preorders begin.
Featured image credits: Wikimedia Commons
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