Ford has confirmed it is working a new electric dual-cab ute, and the model is expected to be positioned below the Australian-developed Ranger.
The announcement comes just months after Ford filed a new trademark application for the Ranchero name, suggesting the Blue Oval could be reviving an old nameplate.
While the original Ford Ranchero sold in North America was more akin to a Ford Falcon ute – competing directly against the Chevrolet El Camino in the US – the company says the new electric pickup will be a “mid-size” vehicle with four doors, sitting between the dual-cab Maverick and Ranger in its lineup.
Giving a better idea of the model’s size, Ford promised the model would have “more passenger space than the latest Toyota RAV4 – with a frunk and a bed”.
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The mention of the RAV4 could be a hint that it will be more of a passenger-car than a rugged off-road pickup, meaning Ford could be targeting the ‘lifestyle’ segment of the market – like the Hyundai Santa Cruz – rather than the workhorse-oriented Maverick.
These images, created by digital artist Theottle for CarExpert, provide an idea of what the new-generation Ford Ranchero could look like when it launches in the coming years.
Ford’s EV boss, Doug Field, said the inspiration for the new pickup was taken from the Ford Model T – the first mass-produced vehicle ever made, which helped propel Ford to become the global car giant it is today.
At its launch in 1908, the Model T cost just US$825 – or roughly US$27,000 (A$41,000) in today’s money – making it attainable for middle-class families of the era.
But thanks to cost amortisation from mass production, by 1925 the Model T was available to buy for just US$260 – or US$4813 (A$7308) today.
Ford says it’s targeting a launch price of just US$30,000 (A$45,500) for the forthcoming pickup, with the aim of making ownership of an electric vehicle a reality for families.
“We have all lived through far too many ‘good college tries’ by Detroit automakers to make affordable vehicles that ends up with idled plants, layoffs and uncertainty,” Ford CEO Jim Farley said at the announcement.
“So, this had to be a strong, sustainable and profitable business [model].”
Currently, the most affordable electric vehicle on sale in the US is the Nissan Leaf, priced from US$44,000 before incentives (A$66,740).
Startup automaker Slate has promised an affordable electric pickup, starting from just US$27,500 before incentives (A$42,700), with the vehicle expected to launch in late 2026. However, Ford is likely betting that it will be better positioned to appeal to buyers, given its huge customer base and extensive dealer network.
Ford also called out Tesla at the announcement, claiming its future ute will have a “lower cost of ownership over five years than a three-year-old used Model Y“.
The launch was accompanied by a triangular logo with wings, with the writing: “Ford, the universal vehicle”.
The pickup will be the first to launch on the Ford Universal EV Platform, which the company says will employ 20 per cent fewer parts than a typical car, with 25 per cent fewer fasteners, and 40 per cent fewer workstations in the factory – allowing for a 15 per cent faster assembly time.
All of this adds up to a cheaper car to produce.
There’s no word yet on whether the electric ute – possibly named the Ranchero – is going to be manufactured for right-hand-drive markets.
“The exciting new Ford Universal Electric Vehicle Platform enables a family of affordable vehicles to be produced at scale for customers that are fun to drive and digitally advanced,” a spokesperson for Ford Australia told CarExpert.
“It’s too early to share specifics on export markets right now.”
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