We’ve heard many promises about affordable electric vehicles (EVs) from automakers of all stripes, but the number of less-expensive models arriving has so far failed to match manufacturers’ enthusiasm. Ford might break that tradition with the Fathom pickup, a new model scheduled for late 2027 that should arrive with a sub-$30,000 starting price.
During a recent earnings call, Ford executives confirmed that the Fathom would also top out at under $40,000. Andrew Frick, president of Ford Blue and Model e, confirmed this, saying, “We’ll have a range that goes to the high $30,000 range, and we’ll have a couple different offerings within that.” He also noted that it’s still early for the Fathom and that more detail would arrive closer to the launch date.
CEO Jim Farley focused on the truck’s technology features, saying, “The big breakthrough conceptually for us about customers buying nicer Fathoms is really on the digital side. We put in an advanced electrical architecture of a 48-volt system so we can offer, at an incredibly low cost, very advanced ADAS (advanced driver assistance systems), as well as a digital camera dashboard.”
Ford has heavily invested in the platform that underpins the Fathom, but it remained committed to hitting its aggressive pricing targets for the truck. The Fathom takes manufacturing space in the automaker’s Louisville, Kentucky, factory, following the discontinuation of the Ford Escape and Lincoln Corsair.
As for how Ford plans to make the truck profitable, Farley and others on the call cited efficiency gains and the fact that the Fathom’s pricing hits the meatiest part of the EV market for U.S. customers. Farley noted Ford’s unit casting production system, which is similar to gigacasting, where large portions of the vehicle’s body are cast as one piece. The process reduces complexity and costs, but it can lead to higher repair expenses for buyers.
