Ford’s New Affordable Pickup Could Already Be Putting Slate on Notice

Dearborn is doubling down on investments in affordable vehicles, even if it means keeping them gas-powered.

Ford is clearly betting big on its new affordable car program. Australian car sales It was recently learned that a new small pickup truck is in the works and will sit below the already small Maverick.

The best part: It will reportedly be gas-powered. Ford recently unveiled details about its next generation of vehicles, which include a return to production and a mix of gasoline and electric vehicles.

One of them is a new midsize all-electric pickup truck. Now, a new small gasoline-powered pickup truck will join the range. If these two models go into production in the near future, they’ll certainly keep the Slate on its toes and beat the startup to the punch in the small, affordable pickup segment.

Ford is pinning its hopes on a new small gas-powered pickup truck

Ford executives spoke at the Wolf Research Automotive Conference last week and shared some updates on Dearborn’s plans to start making affordable cars again. This resulted in a significant shift in strategy away from going all-in on electric vehicles.

It’s also a move to accommodate the Trump administration’s recent tariff ruling on the auto industry. Because of the new tariffs, Ford is ramping up production at its Tennessee assembly line, where some of its key new trucks will be built.

Ford Chief Financial Officer Sherry House hinted at the launch of a new gasoline-powered small pickup truck. House reportedly confirmed that a “sub-$40,000” model is coming, and it’s likely to be a “truck.”

“We’ve had discussions about putting more combustion-engine trucks at the Tennessee plant,” House said at a news conference. “So we’ll look at offering another variant that we haven’t disclosed yet.”

At the same conference, before House spoke, CEO Jim Farley mentioned the arrival of at least two new internal combustion-powered vehicles.

“We’re adding a combustion vehicle, a combustion truck, an affordable vehicle in Tennessee,” Farley said. “We’re actually going to expand one of our existing plants and build a different type of truck there.”

While the idea of ​​a sub-$40,000 pickup sounds great, it’s also a bit confusing and speculative. That’s because Ford’s current pickup trucks — the Maverick, Ranger and F-150 — already start below that price. Of course, if you opt for more expensive trims or options, their asking prices can climb quickly.

Midsize electric pickup trucks are still happening

Not long ago, Ford released details about its new general electric vehicle platform. That’s the basis for a new midsize electric pickup truck.

Ford appears to be following in the footsteps of other automakers that are embracing “multi-energy” products. The idea is to give customers the choice of combustion engine-powered or electric vehicles, rather than forcing them into a specific powertrain type.

Although details are scant, speculation suggests the new midsize electric pickup truck could essentially be an all-electric equivalent of the Ranger. After the all-electric Ford F-150 Lightning struggled to take off, this could be another attempt at producing a viable electric pickup truck.

Ford recently admitted it was losing a lot of money after spending too much on electric vehicle development. However, the company hasn’t given up on them just yet.

About the author: Chris Chin is an associate editor at Gear Patrol, covering cars, trucks and other four-wheeled products. He has over a decade of experience writing news and reviews, but considers himself first and foremost an enthusiast with a passion for classic and European cars. His daily driver is a 1987 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL with nearly 250,000 miles (87,000 miles are his).

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