Ford is doubling down on building a cheap electric pickup, and if you’re thinking it’s a big gamble, you’re not the only one. That makes it perfectly fitting that Ford has taken its Fathom prototypes to the bright light city to try and set some souls on fire.
After all, there are a thousand eager customers waiting out there.
Fathom Comes To The Best Place To Show Off
Ford Fathom prototypeFord
You might still not be sold on the name, but the Ford Fathom pickup is serious business. The compact electric pickup will be Ford’s second electric truck after the F-150 Lightning (no, we’re not counting the handful of ancient Rangers), and the first to be built using Ford’s new Universal Vehicle Platform.
Ford employees were test-driving the new trucks in the hot, dry deserts around Las Vegas, and one smart cookie in the marketing team decided that a few shots of the new trucks under the neon LED lights of Vegas was a perfect idea. It’s hard to disagree, and Ford CEO Jim Farley decided to share them on social media. The truck looks good on the strip, even if it’s still covered in more camouflage than a highly competitive paintball team on a weekend retreat.
Still, the new photos give additional perspective on Ford’s new “truck.” Previously, Farley said it kinda sorta wasn’t really a truck – no doubt an ode to it not having a traditional frame and a cabin more spacious than a Toyota RAV4. Seen here on the road with other vehicles, it has more of a small crossover vibe, albeit one with a bed at the back.
Can Ford Beat The Odds This Time?
Ford Fathom prototypeFord
The setting is also symbolic of the chance Ford is taking this time. The Lightning was a sales failure, but developing it using the chassis and body of the best-selling vehicle in the US definitely helped spread out the costs.
This time, Ford doesn’t have that advantage. It could be a fortune won or lost for Farley on every deal, though he clearly has a strong heart for Ford and nerves of steel. Fathom could end up a success and launch a whole new line of Ford vehicles. It probably can’t break the company if it fails, but it might be Ford’s FedEx moment, or at least the closest it has come in 100 years.
The CEO didn’t have anything to add about the Fathom specifically. Ford still hasn’t announced a range estimate, horsepower, or any of the other figures we want to know for any pickup, let alone an EV. All we have so far is the price, $29,945 including destination. That’s a few thousand more than Slate’s upcoming electric truck, but this one will probably have power windows and a stereo.
CarBuzz Insight – Why This Matters:
Ford Fathom prototypeFord
A compact electric pickup from the company that builds the best-selling truck year after year is important. Ford stakes its reputation on each one, so it’s no surprise this one is getting thoroughly tested. Even the front-drive Maverick hybrid faces durability testing just like the F-150.
Really, though, this is all about building hype. That’s why Farley posted the pictures to his social media. Ford will do its best to saturate us with Fathom news, especially as it gets ready to open for pre-orders next year.
We feel for the photographers and car wranglers who had to be up at dawn in Las Vegas (pretty much the only time you can drive the strip without excessive traffic) to capture these images. We do appreciate them, though, and expect to see much more of the Fathom over the next few months.
