Ford believes it has an edge over China with its new affordable EV platform

Ford believes it has an edge over China with its new affordable EV platform by targeting efficiency gains and lower-cost battery solutions. The company’s new Universal Electric Vehicle (UEV) platform will underpin a range of low-cost EVs, starting with a four-door midsize electric pickup expected to begin at around $30,000. Speaking to Autocar, CEO Jim Farley said some Chinese EV makers have “really cheap batteries,” but Ford believes their control systems are less efficient due to oversized, heavier packs. Ford claims improved aerodynamics and smaller, more efficient batteries, with more than half of its UEV aerodynamics team in California coming from Formula 1 backgrounds. The pickup is said to be 15% more aerodynamically efficient than any US truck sold, and Ford cites up to nearly 50 miles (about 15% more range) versus a comparable efficient gas truck, plus a 30% highway improvement. Ford plans to use prismatic LFP batteries, but it will build them in the US using licensed technology from CATL.