Ford christens its budget EV pickup the Fathom, priced from $29,945 with 2027 launch

Ford has officially named its new entry-level electric pickup the Fathom, slapping a starting price of $29,945 on the truck that’s due to hit U.S. driveways in late 2027. Pre-orders open in early 2027 as Ford tests demand in a cooling EV market and a crowded midsize-truck segment. The Fathom rides on Ford’s brand-new universal EV platform—engineered in California by a team led by former Tesla hands—and is designed to be lighter, sleeker and more energy-efficient than anything Ford has built before, all while undercutting the current U.S. new-car average transaction price of nearly $50,000. Ford positions the Fathom as a direct response to low-cost electric trucks and SUVs, especially those from Chinese brands that are gaining global traction even though they remain locked out of the U.S. market for now. The truck will support Ford’s BlueCruise hands-free driver-assist tech and integrate Apple Maps on a high-resolution touchscreen. The move comes as Ford takes a $19.5 billion charge to overhaul its money-losing EV business, canceling the slow-selling F-150 Lightning in the process. U.S. EV demand has softened after policy shifts removed the $7,500 federal tax credit and pushed more buyers toward smaller, more efficient vehicles. Ford’s Maverick hybrid pickup, however, remains one of the top-selling hybrid models in the country. The Fathom will compete against the Slate Auto two-seat electric pickup, slated to arrive by the end of this year with a base price around $25,000 and a 205-mile EPA range.