Ford’s Next EVs Could Be a Compact SUV and a Small Pickup To Rival Tesla

Ford wants to beat Tesla and its overseas competitors at their own game.

We already knew that Ford has a skunkworks team working on a smaller EV platform, but we didn’t know what kind of electric cars would come out of it. With the latest Bloomberg report, word on the street is that Ford’s upcoming EV platform will be used for a compact SUV and a small pickup.

While Ford hasn’t officially confirmed anything, but we’re expecting these two upcoming EVs to be direct challengers to Tesla’s mass-produced model since they will be priced at around $25,000.

Ford doesn’t have much experience with smaller EVs since its current lineup for U.S. customers only includes the Mustang Mach-E and the F-150 Lightning. The American automaker seems to have learned from its early EVs though, since it’s planning on pivoting towards smaller, more affordable options, evidenced by the new platform that’s in development. Bloomberg even points out that Ford has delayed its plans for an electric three-row SUV.

Smaller EVs Are The Future

The compact SUV isn’t too shocking since Ford already released its all-electric Explorer in Europe. Considering the popularity of SUVs in the U.S., it’s only a matter of time before Ford offers an electric SUV stateside. However, the Explorer EV is classified as a midsize crossover, which means Ford’s upcoming compact SUV should be even smaller.

We’re more surprised that Ford has plans for a small electric pickup, which could potentially mean the automaker electrifies its Maverick model. There aren’t many comparable options on the market, so this could be a cult hit for those looking for an EV with a truck bed but not all the bulk. Along with these two EVs, Ford reportedly wants to make an EV that caters to ride-hailing. As much as a curveball as this sounds like, it could be Ford’s plans to compete against a Tesla that acts as a robotaxi.

The Bloomberg report says that Ford will use a lithium-ion phosphate battery for its compact SUV to start, which the automaker switched its latest Mustang Mach-E model over to last year for cost savings. To save further on battery costs, the report notes that Ford is exploring other battery technologies.

Arriving In Late 2026

According to the Bloomberg report, the first model that uses Ford’s smaller EV platform should be available to customers in late 2026. That would be a year after Tesla’s affordable option hits the market in the second half of 2025, if everything goes according to plan. With Ford aiming for a $25,000 price tag for its next EVs, it’s also starting to get closer to the absurdly low starting prices we’re seeing from EV makers in China, like BYD.

Interestingly, Bloomberg also reports that U.S. Ford CEO Jim Farley wants these smaller EVs to turn a profit within a year of hitting the market. That seems like an aggressive timeline, but there is clear demand for more compact, affordable EVs like the Chevy Bolt.