Ford Unveils Fathom: An Affordable Electric Pickup Starting Under $30,000
According to Ars Technica, Ford has named its long-awaited affordable electric pickup the Fathom, with a starting price of $28,350 before a $1,595 delivery fee and deliveries slated for later next year.
Heather Dunaway·updated August 06, 2026
Electrek confirms the same sticker and pegs the on-sale date to early 2027. For buyers waiting on a four-door electric truck that doesn't break the bank, the Fathom now has both a number and a name worth circling.
The price reality
At $28,350, Ford is planting itself squarely in the sub-$30K EV conversation. Add the $1,595 destination charge and the out-the-door figure lands just under $29,945 for the standard-range model. Ford itself frames the truck as "starting at about $30,000," which is the number most shoppers will actually remember.
That price puts the Fathom directly against the Slate Auto Blank Slate, which Electrek notes will still undercut Ford by "a few thousand dollars" in bare-bones form. Ford's counter is a proper four-door cab, factory-installed rear seats, and power windows — not a build-it-yourself kit.
What's actually under the sheet metal
The Fathom will be the first vehicle on Ford's new Universal EV platform, developed by a California skunkworks team set up after the F-150 Lightning's underperformance. The truck uses a zonal electrical architecture that swaps the dozens of discrete control units in most modern cars for a handful of powerful domain computers — less wiring, lighter packaging, more cabin room.
By external dimensions it's close to a Maverick, yet reportedly delivers more passenger volume than a Toyota RAV4, plus a bed and a frunk. Standard kit across the line includes a large high-resolution touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, BlueCruise hands-free driver assist, bidirectional charging capability, and a digital key. The Fathom will also be the first Ford to ship with Apple Maps built directly into the navigation display — turn-by-turn, EV routing, and battery preconditioning included.
Ford hasn't released battery specs, but Electrek reports a target of at least 300 miles of range, supported by prismatic LFP cells from BlueOval Battery Park in Michigan and megacasting manufacturing aimed at cutting cost. Charging runs through the NACS port, so Tesla Supercharger access is built in.
What to watch before you reserve
Official EPA range, horsepower figures, and a trim walk haven't dropped yet. "Early 2027" deliveries leave room for slippage, and Ford's EV track record invites a measure of patience. The $28,350 sticker also ignores federal tax credit eligibility, state rebates, and the inevitable dealer add-ons, so the real transaction price is still a moving target. In my experience tracking Ford's EV pricing since the Lightning launched, the gap between advertised MSRP and what walks out the dealership door has been wide enough to matter. Hold the reservation until the full spec sheet lands and you've confirmed NACS access on your regular routes.