Ford has unveiled a $5 billion plan to launch a new universal EV platform and production system, debuting with a midsize electric pickup in 2027 and targeting faster, simpler assembly with major design and efficiency gains.
Tesla Cybertruck engineering chief Wes Morrill has praised Ford Motor’s new electric vehicle platform and assembly system, crediting the automaker for adopting design and manufacturing innovations pioneered at Tesla under two of its former engineers.
“Love to see Ford mentioning ‘The best part is no part’ and ‘Question the requirements’ — it’s clear to see some lessons learned from Doug and Alan’s time at Tesla,” Morrill posted on X.
Morrill’s post specifically credited Doug Field, Ford’s chief EV, digital and design officer, who previously led development of Tesla’s Model 3 and served as a senior Apple executive, and Alan Clarke, a 12-year Tesla engineering veteran now leading Ford’s advanced EV development.
Field, who began his career at Ford in 1987 before stints at Johnson & Johnson, Segway, Apple, and Tesla, was described by Farley as a “watershed” hire. Clarke, who led advanced prototype engineering at Tesla’s Los Angeles Design Center, is known for his work on the Model X and on Tesla patents for technologies including a vehicle seat mount and a system for absorbing and distributing side impact energy utilizing an integrated battery pack
Morill cited Ford’s adoption of large castings, a structural battery pack that doubles as the floor, heat pump integration, 48-volt architecture with Ethernet, and zonal controllers as smart moves that align with Tesla’s approach. “Glad to see at least one legacy automaker make the investment to join Tesla in the future,” he added.
Ford unveiled its $5 billion plan on Monday to develop a new Ford Universal EV Platform and Ford Universal EV Production System. “As with the Model T, Ford is again betting big on America. In Louisville, Kentucky, the reinvention of our company begins in earnest, with the implementation of an innovative manufacturing process to bring this platform to life,” Ford CEO Jim Farley said in a statement.
The initiative, which will create or secure nearly 4,000 U.S. jobs, will debut with a midsize four-door electric pickup targeted to start at about $30,000, launching from Ford’s Louisville Assembly Plant in 2027.
The new platform and production system aim to cut parts by 20%, reduce fasteners by 25%, shorten wiring harnesses by more than a kilometer, and speed assembly by up to 15% while improving ergonomics for workers.
Large aluminum castings and structural battery packs will allow major sub-assemblies, including the front, rear, and structural battery, to be built in parallel and then joined together, replacing the traditional moving assembly line with what Ford calls an “assembly tree.”
The first product, a midsize electric pickup, is expected to be as quick to 60 mph as a Mustang EcoBoost, with more passenger room than a Toyota RAV4, along with a frunk and a truck bed.
Ford said it will also be the first automaker to make prismatic LFP batteries in the U.S.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk himself acknowledged Ford’s industrial legacy earlier in the day, writing on X: “Ford basically invented mass manufacturing of large, complex products. Everyone else copied. Most people don’t know this.”
On Stocktwits, retail sentiment was described as “extremely bullish” for both Ford and Tesla, with “high” message volume for Ford and “low” message volume for Tesla.
While Ford’s stock has risen 19.5% so far in 2025, Tesla’s stock has declined 16% over the same period.
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