- Ford’s next-generation electric pickup truck and van have been delayed again.
- The company is pushing back the two projects to focus on more affordable offerings.
- Despite the delay, the American automaker believes the current generation F-150 Lightning and E-Transit are good enough for now.
Ford has delayed two of its next-generation electric vehicles once again, according to an Automotive News report that was later confirmed by the American automaker.
The upcoming all-new full-size electric pickup, known internally as “Project T3”, which could replace the current-generation F-150 Lightning, has been pushed back to 2028. This is the second time the big EV has been delayed–it was initially scheduled to hit the streets this year, but the company decided to postpone it to 2027. Now, its launch date has been moved once more.
Moreover, a next-generation electric van, which could replace the current E-Transit, has been delayed from 2026 to 2028, with production set to be handled by the Avon Lake, Ohio, facility. The battery-powered van was first announced in 2022 and scheduled to debut “mid-decade.”
Ford confirmed the delays yesterday, adding that it informed its suppliers and employees in June.
Still, it’s not all bad news because the American auto giant wants to focus more on smaller, more affordable electric models. Last year, the company disclosed that it had been working on a secretive “skunkworks” project that would bring low-cost EVs sooner rather than later.
The first model of the new wave of cheaper electric Fords is expected to be a 2027-bound midsize pickup that could be named Ranchero, as a recent trademark filing suggests. The name was used on several two-door, car-like pickups from the 1950s all the way to the late 1970s. Think Ranger, but with a battery, at least one electric motor and a lower body.
Ford has a lot of hopes for its new lineup of affordable electric cars. Last month, the company’s CEO, Jim Farley, said that a new event on August 11 will mark “a Model T moment” for the marque, referring to the pioneering vehicle of the early 1900s that revolutionized mass production.
“August 11 will be a big day for all of us at Ford,” CEO Jim Farley said during the automaker's second-quarter earnings call. “We will be in Kentucky to share more about our plans to design and build a breakthrough electric vehicle and a platform in the U.S."
That’s just three days away, so stay tuned on InsideEVs to find out more about Ford’s big reveal.
