First Sight! $30k Midsize EV Pickup Prototype

[ejouie]

This is the photo I am talking about. Looks like the bed rails have been changed since this prototype.

Sponsored

 

[billbillw]

I participated in some marketing studies on this vehicle a few months ago. It is definitely a little bit smaller than the Maverick. It is shorter and less ground clearance, but has a similar length. I don't think it will be rugged for off-roading. The version I saw may or may not be identical to what is actually released, but it didn't have the typical Ford styling cues. It was unknown at the time, but I thought it was something from Kia/Hyundai at first. The interior is much more modern than the Maverick with an isolated center control stack/screen. It had a somewhat narrower feeling seat (that may change), but enough room for me in the front and back seats. It did have a cool feature similar to the Avalanche truck where the back wall of the cab can open as the seats fold down to give more length for objects in the bed. I believe it had a power tailgate as well. The seating for four maybe a little bit less spacious than the Maverick, but not by too much. That was the initial impression. Subsequent parts of the study revealed that Ford intends the base model to be RWD with a range of at least 200 miles and a target price of $30K. An AWD option with some other features including extra range was a small upgrade to maybe $35-38K. There will be some silly lifestyle options that the younger generations may appreciate. They are also going to market it with a smart charging system that lets you feed power back to the house/grid to save money on your electric bill and/or power the home for short periods during outages. That's pretty cool IMO. Anyway, if they hit the target price and there isn't a huge dealer markup, I think this will be a homerun for Ford.

 

[ejouie]

I participated in some marketing studies on this vehicle a few months ago. It is definitely a little bit smaller than the Maverick. It is shorter and less ground clearance, but has a similar length. I don't think it will be rugged for off-roading. The version I saw may or may not be identical to what is actually released, but it didn't have the typical Ford styling cues. It was unknown at the time, but I thought it was something from Kia/Hyundai at first. The interior is much more modern than the Maverick with an isolated center control stack/screen. It had a somewhat narrower feeling seat (that may change), but enough room for me in the front and back seats. It did have a cool feature similar to the Avalanche truck where the back wall of the cab can open as the seats fold down to give more length objects in the bed. I believe it had a power tailgate as well. The seating for four maybe a little bit less spacious than the Maverick, but not by too much. That was the initial impression. Subsequent parts of the study revealed that Ford intends the base model to be RWD with a range of at least 200 miles and a target price of $30K. An AWD option with some other features including extra range was a small upgrade to maybe $35-38K. There will be some silly lifestyle options that the younger generations may appreciate. They are also going to market it with a smart charging system that lets you feed power back to the house/grid to save money on your electric bill and/or power the home for short periods during outages. That's pretty cool IMO. Anyway, if they hit the target price and there isn't a huge dealer markup, I think this will be a homerun for Ford.

What did you think of the "physical buttons"? Kinda an oddball solution, I think. Wait, don't answer that. Didn't we you sign an NDA?

 

[Surly Old Bill]

The battery is under the floor like most EVs.

as it should be. I wasn't aware there are diagrams and schematics available yet, though. We're all still speculating on how the body looks.

 

[Surly Old Bill]

I participated in some marketing studies on this vehicle a few months ago. It is definitely a little bit smaller than the Maverick. It is shorter and less ground clearance, but has a similar length. I don't think it will be rugged for off-roading. The version I saw may or may not be identical to what is actually released, but it didn't have the typical Ford styling cues. It was unknown at the time, but I thought it was something from Kia/Hyundai at first. The interior is much more modern than the Maverick with an isolated center control stack/screen. It had a somewhat narrower feeling seat (that may change), but enough room for me in the front and back seats. It did have a cool feature similar to the Avalanche truck where the back wall of the cab can open as the seats fold down to give more length objects in the bed. I believe it had a power tailgate as well. The seating for four maybe a little bit less spacious than the Maverick, but not by too much. That was the initial impression. Subsequent parts of the study revealed that Ford intends the base model to be RWD with a range of at least 200 miles and a target price of $30K. An AWD option with some other features including extra range was a small upgrade to maybe $35-38K. There will be some silly lifestyle options that the younger generations may appreciate. They are also going to market it with a smart charging system that lets you feed power back to the house/grid to save money on your electric bill and/or power the home for short periods during outages. That's pretty cool IMO. Anyway, if they hit the target price and there isn't a huge dealer markup, I think this will be a homerun for Ford.

so this isn't the Ranchero? That's supposed to be the same size as the Ranger. Ford shifted and decided to make a little pickup like the Slate?

 

[billbillw]

What did you think of the "physical buttons"? Kinda an oddball solution, I think. Wait, don't answer that. Didn't we you sign an NDA?

Technically, yes on the NDA, which is common for any marketing study. I'm probably violating it with the post above, but let them pick that needle out of a haystack and find me. I honestly don't remember the physical buttons.

so this isn't the Ranchero? That's supposed to be the same size as the Ranger. Ford shifted and decided to make a little pickup like the Slate?

It could be considered a Ranchero. It had a lower hood and felt more car-like to me. It definitely won't be as tall as a Ranger, but why would they do that if they were going for urban city/efficiency in this truck?

 

[ejouie]

Technically, yes on the NDA, which is common for any marketing study. I'm probably violating it with the post above, but let them pick that needle out of a haystack and find me. I honestly don't remember the physical buttons.


It could be considered a Ranchero. It had a lower hood and felt more car-like to me. It definitely won't be as tall as a Ranger, but why would they do that if they were going for urban city/efficiency in this truck?

It was similar in nature to the "center console" with its options (beyond what comes with the truck standard) being sold as accessories.

 

[gzebrick]

I’m digging what I am seeing. The AWD variant, assuming it can tow 4k, could be a replacement for both our Ioniq 6 sedan and our 25 maverick lariat hybrid. The efficiency and home charging of the EV with the utility of the small pickup. I know it wont cost $30k, but I’d go $40k in a lariat trim

 

[Surly Old Bill]

They absolutely will. This will not be available for $30k and if it is it will be a bare bones terrible range vehicle that has no payload and can’t tow a thing.

I think it's for transportation and light "hauling" and not supposed to take the place of a full size pickup for someone who lives 100 miles from the nearest Walmart. Given that more than 80% of customers, maybe more than 90%, live in cities, drive less than 1000 miles a month, haul heavy cargo or go on extended road trips less than 3-4x a year, This seems like a winner to me for the vast majority of consumers of pickups. For those that have other needs there are other vehicles.

 

[ejouie]

I’m digging what I am seeing. The AWD variant, assuming it can tow 4k, could be a replacement for both our Ioniq 6 sedan and our 25 maverick lariat hybrid. The efficiency and home charging of the EV with the utility of the small pickup. I know it wont cost $30k, but I’d go $40k in a lariat trim

If you're a fan of the nose of the Ioniq than you MIGHT just be in luck.

 

[Surly Old Bill]

It could be considered a Ranchero. It had a lower hood and felt more car-like to me. It definitely won't be as tall as a Ranger, but why would they do that if they were going for urban city/efficiency in this truck?

Ford and spies said the new midsize EV pickup was going to be called the Ranchero; but the name is the only similarity to the pickup/car from the 60's and 70's. Personally, I thought the Maverick should have been called the Ranchero, since Ford is fond of recycling old car model names and the Maverick was an economy car in the 70's. Then I learned they had ANOTHER pickup model planned, the aforementioned midsize model, and were calling IT the Ranchero. What you describe seems to be much smaller than what is considered "midsize" these days.

 

[710-oil-614]

I think it's for transportation and light "hauling" and not supposed to take the place of a full size pickup for someone who lives 100 miles from the nearest Walmart. Given that more than 80% of customers, maybe more than 90%, live in cities, drive less than 1000 miles a month, haul heavy cargo or go on extended road trips less than 3-4x a year, This seems like a winner to me for the vast majority of consumers of pickups. For those that have other needs there are other vehicles.

I’m not trying to crap on it but then it’s a Nissan leaf with a truck bed?

Limited range. No towing or payload abilities. An around towner for light hauling? With Tesla coming out with their supposed $25k vehicle that’s going to be a rough sell for Ford in my opinion.

I want to be wrong but Ford has given us a lot of reasons to be skeptical.

 

[ejouie]

I’m not trying to crap on it but then it’s a Nissan leaf with a truck bed?

Limited range. No towing or payload abilities. An around towner for light hauling? With Tesla coming out with their supposed $25k vehicle that’s going to be a rough sell for Ford in my opinion.

I want to be wrong but Ford has given us a lot of reasons to be skeptical.

It will have payload capability just like the Maverick does. Vertical force (payload) is much easier to deal with than horizontal force (towing) in a unibody.

The 2025 Toyota Sienna LE Hybrid FWD has a payload capacity of 1,560 lbs. but can only tow 3500 lbs.

 

[gzebrick]

If you're a fan of the nose of the Ioniq than you MIGHT just be in luck.

Exterior Style is way down on my list of priorities. I’ll take efficiency and capability, safety of course, and practicality.

 

[Blue_Max]

I’m not trying to crap on it but then it’s a Nissan leaf with a truck bed?

Limited range. No towing or payload abilities. An around towner for light hauling? With Tesla coming out with their supposed $25k vehicle that’s going to be a rough sell for Ford in my opinion.

I want to be wrong but Ford has given us a lot of reasons to be skeptical.

Sounds good for urbanites who occasionally haul stuff, and could also be a good commercial vehicle.

The bulk of the population lives in highly populated areas, you know.

Sponsored