A brand-new Ford pick-up truck, built in the United States and with an internal combustion engine, is set to enter production before the end of the decade, according to Ford CEO Chris Farley.
Speaking during the presidential visit to Ford’s Blue Oval City facility, Farley confirmed that a new “combustion truck, an affordable one,” would be joining the American brand’s line-up alongside the Maverick, the Ranger, and the celebrated F-Series as part of company plans to expand one of its US manufacturing hubs. The statement also, seemingly, puts an end to any future plans Ford may have had to expand its electric pickup range.
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Production Expected To Begin In 2029; No New EV Pickups Any Time Soon
Ford CEO Jim Farley. KentuckyFord
Though details regarding size and pricing are understandably sparse, Farley has, as reported by Road & Track, confirmed that production of the new and affordable pickup will begin in 2029 at Ford’s Blue Oval City facility in Tennessee. The facility, first announced in 2021 and originally slated to produce electric pickups from 2025 onwards, will be repurposed, with production expected to begin shortly thereafter.
Farley’s comments also confirm reports, briefly teased in late 2025, that an affordable combustion pickup would be joining Ford’s line-up. The as-yet unnamed, gas-powered truck effectively replaces plans for a mid-sized all-electric pickup, which was expected to be launched in 2027, priced below the $30,000 USD mark.
2025 Ford F-150. F-Series. AssemblyFord
This decision was apparently influenced by the US government’s tariffs on non-US-made vehicles and auto parts, which have since been lowered following their introduction last year. The administration’s decision to cut EPA fuel economy standards, believing it to be a reason for the increased price of brand-new vehicles, was also cited. This announcement caps off the latest presidential visit to the American brand’s operations, a tradition dating back to Franklin D. Roosevelt’s tour of the Willow Run Plant to oversee the manufacture of war materials in September 1942.
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Where This New Combustion Truck Will Likely Sit On Ford’s Line-Up
2022 – 2025 Ford Maverick front angle in green while parkedFord
Given the triumphant sales figures – almost 204,000 F-150s were sold in Q4 last year alone – it’s improbable that Ford will introduce an in-house competitor that would sink without trace against America’s best-selling truck. This suggests that the new boy will likely slot into the mid-sized segment, above or alongside the incumbent Maverick, MSRPs for which are currently $28,145, and below the $33,350 Ranger.
Speculation that’s backed up by sales figures for the segment: a record 155,051 examples of the Maverick were sold in 2025, up more than 18.2% over 2024, and while Ford sold fewer than half that amount of the Ranger (70,960), sales for the latter nevertheless grew by an encouraging 53.6% from 2024 to 2025. Running with that momentum and introducing a third option to a mid-sized pickup truck segment seemingly in high demand would make sense.
2026 Ford F-150 Lightning STXFord
Tellingly, Farley’s announcement comes just a few weeks after Ford confirmed that the all-electric F-150 Lightning was being discontinued, replaced by a range-extender pickup using the same name. Indeed, any plans that Ford may have had to expand its EV lineup appear to be dead, given that the Tennessee Electric Vehicle Center was recently renamed the Tennessee Truck Plant.
Source: Road & Track
