Ford casts 5,000 'unicastings' for Fathom EV truck in Tesla-style shift

Ford says it has produced more than 5,000 large aluminum “unicastings” for the Fathom, its upcoming $28,350 midsize electric pickup, as it fine-tunes the process ahead of a 2027 launch. Each truck will use two castings—front and rear—replacing 146 individual parts. Ford describes this as a clear signal that it’s committing to a manufacturing approach popularized by Tesla’s Giga Press. The castings are produced at Ford’s Shelbyville Technical Center and shipped to the Louisville Assembly Plant for process testing and prototype builds. Ford melts aluminum ingots at about 1,300°F (700°C), injects metal into front or rear molds, then subjects parts to quenching, trimming, machining, and extensive inspections including X-ray scans, dimensional checks, optical surface scans, and tensile and chemistry tests. Ford is also working to cut cycle time and design for modular repairability. The article notes automakers were cautious about giant cast parts due to repair costs.