We already heard that Ford filed a trademark for the name "Ranchero" some time ago, but now with more info coming out about their upcoming $30,000 electric truck, the speculation is that this could be the name they slap on it. This new mid-sized truck will be built from the ground up as a dedicated EV allowing for some rather enticing features to be made possible. One big advantage with going this route is interior space, and lots of it! Electric only means eliminating heavy, complex crash structures that keep a front engine and transmission away from passengers in the event of a crash and so what you end up with is more interior space than a Toyota Rav 4 while also getting a front truck and a truck bed!
Designing a truck from scratch meant assembling a team from picked from EV startups and motorsports including Tesla and Formula 1. Their mantra was that the new ford EVs must be affordable and have sufficent range to lure shoppers meaning they had to be absolutely as efficient as possible to achieve both goals. Efficiency equates to being able to minimize the energy capacity (and cost) of the batter without compromising range.
By far one of the most important things to consider when designing an EV to extend its range is aerodynamics. The fact that half the design team for this truck previously worked for F1 racing, it's safe to say they have a pretty good handle on aero optimization. For instance, one way they lowered drag was to cut the size and weight of the door mirror by more than 20 percent. They also combined the glass adjustment and mirror folding motors into one. This reduction in frontal area and mass provided another 1.5 miles of battery range.
Another way Ford's cutting the cost of this EV is by bringing the vehicle's energy management entirely in-house, designing all aspects of its power electronics and charging hardware and software. Again, rather than integrating off-the-shelf parts and control software from multiple vendors, the company designed every component and will have them built to its specifications. A unit Ford calls the E-box combines multiple power-electronics functions into a small, single unit.
Does an electric truck at a true $30,000 price point make for a winning equation for the blue oval? Or is this second try at an EV pick-up going to end up like the F-150 Lightning which is being discontinued this year. We will see next year, as this new truck will be arriving in 2027 as a 2028 model.