Ford’s revolutionary ute is coming closer to a reality as prototypes have been spotted testing.
Ford’s new electric ute has been spotted testing by US outlet Autopianin California.
The dual-cab ute is heavily camouflaged, but it is believed to be smaller than the Maverick, which is an SUV-based ute in the US a size under the Ranger.
The new ute is ditching a ladder frame chassis for a new EV platform that will be more SUV-like. This means it won’t be a heavy-hauler or rock crawler, but an urban workhorse designed to carry logs and timber rather than a boat.
Images of the tray show a small cargo area, closer in size to what was available in a Holden Commodore or Ford Falcon ute.
The new brand-defining ute is likely to be called Ranchero, with the name trademarked in Australia for use on a pick-up truck.
It’s also a throwback to an old car-based ute from the US discontinued in the late 1970s.
Ford is so serious about its new electric ute that it has assembled an entire “skunkworks” team in California to develop the new low cost electric vehicle platform which will underpin it.
“We recruited the most technically skilled and creative professionals from inside and outside Ford to drive a radical change in how we develop an electric vehicle,” said Ford boss Jim Farley last year. “The work of this highly talented team has evolved into a critical enabler of our electric vehicle strategy. These electric vehicles will be lower cost, and not compromised in any way.”
The upcoming ute is believed to be the first vehicle to be built on this platform, with a launch date set for 2027. Other bodystyles will also be spun-off from it.
Ford is aiming for a circa-US$30,000 (A$42,600) price tag.
These small SUV-based utes are the must have item overseas right now.
Ford’s Maverick is a smash hit in the US, BYD is preparing its Mako to sit under the Shark 6 and Toyota’s Corolla Cross-based ute has been seen testing in South America recently.
