Ford's Tesla Model 2 killer to spawn affordable electric pickup truck with US-made LFP batteries

We've known for a while now that Ford is planning $25,000 compact electric SUV to compete with the upcoming Tesla Model 2. However, it's recently been reported by Bloomberg that Ford has more up its sleeve than just an electric crossover.

A Bloomberg Businessweek report has revealed some new details about Ford's compact EV project. Firstly, the team working on the project is apparently made up of less than 100 people, which would theoretically allow it to work fast and pivot the project quickly if the need arose.

Secondly, and more interestingly, the platform being developed by this skunkworks team will allegedly underpin the upcoming compact Tesla Model 2 killer, as well as an electric pickup truck, and maybe even a small car designed for ride hailing.

The source, who is someone allegedly working on the project, confirmed that Ford is eyeing a 2026 release date and a $25,000 price for the first model with the new compact EV platform.

This is purely speculation, but since Ford is looking to increase volume, first EV to come out of the project will likely be the compact SUV, with the electric pickup truck to follow. Given that the two EVs share the same platform, it's entirely conceivable that when the eventual compact pickup truck lands, it will cost around the same $25,000 price tag as the compact electric SUV.

Tesla is also planning to launch a compact electric SUV in the coming years, with recent reports pointing to a similar 2026 launch and $25,000 price. Ford also allegedly plans to build its new affordable EV in the US with LFP batteries from a Michigan plant being built in partnership with CATL. This means that, although the batteries will be cheaper to produce, the new EV should also be able to take advantage of federal EV tax incentives.

Buy a TRX-4M 4X4 1/10-scale remote control rock crawler with Ford Bronco body on Amazon, or read about the development of Tesla's EVs in Walter Isaacson's Elon Musk biography, also on Amazon.