Ford has revealed fresh footage of its upcoming affordable electric ute, providing another glimpse of the vehicle that could change the way buyers think about electric utes. Known as the Fathom, the new ute will become the first model built on the American carmaker’s ‘Universal Electric Vehicle’ (UEV) platform, developed to make electric vehicles cheaper to manufacture.

The Fathom is expected to launch in the United States in late 2027, with a starting price of just $US28,350 (approximately $A41,500 at current exchange rates), excluding delivery charges. That will make it significantly cheaper than most electric utes currently on sale in the US, and one of the cheapest EVs on the market in general.

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While Ford is yet to reveal the Fathom, new footage from the brand shows heavily camouflaged prototypes undergoing development testing, providing a clearer view of its design. Despite its relatively compact dimensions, the Fathom appears to look just like a normal ute, with a conventional dual-cab silhouette, a relatively upright cabin and a separate load bed.

The company has previously confirmed that the Fathom will offer more passenger space than a Toyota RAV4, despite its smaller footprint compared with traditional American pick-ups. Plus, there will also be additional storage underneath the bonnet, thanks to its frunk compartment.

Under the skin, the Fathom will use Ford’s newly developed electric architecture, with both rear-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive configurations planned and Ford says that its performance will be comparable to a Mustang EcoBoost. Multiple battery options will be available, although official specifications remain under wraps.

Perhaps the most significant development with the Fathom, however, is the manufacturing process behind the new vehicle. According to Ford, its EV platform uses large aluminium castings to simplify construction, which reduces the number of individual components and lowers production costs.

The company is investing approximately $US5 billion (around $7.3 billion) in its new EV strategy, including upgrades to its Louisville Assembly Plant in Kentucky and battery production facilities in Michigan. Ford is also developing lithium iron phosphate batteries using technology licensed from Chinese battery giant CATL to reduce costs further.

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The Fathom will be the first in a broader family of affordable electric vehicles using the new platform, with additional body styles expected to follow.

Ford is yet to confirm whether the electric ute will be offered locally. However, with electric utes still relatively expensive in Australia, there could be a market for a more affordable EV for buyers who don’t require the towing capacity or dimensions of a traditional dual-cab ute, like the larger Ranger and Toyota HiLux.

Ford is expected to reveal the Fathom in full ahead in the first half of 2027 ahead of its planned US market launch in the fourth quarter.