Ford to Unveil New Electric Vehicle Platform and Models on August 11

"...Ford is promising a revolution...."

"...The company plans to make a big announcement on August 11 about its electric vehicle future, an event it is hyping as a “Model T moment.”..."

"...The message is clear: Ford believes it is on the verge of launching a breakthrough EV that is both capable and, crucially, affordable...."

"...For Ford, this is a familiar playbook...."

"...The company has mastered the art of raiding its own archives, using beloved, gas-guzzling names from its history to sell a radically new electric future...."

"...They did it with the Mustang Mach-E, weathering a storm of outrage from purists to turn it into a best-selling electric SUV...."

"...They did it again with the F-150 Lightning, attaching their most trusted truck name to their flagship EV pickup...."

"...And with the Maverick, they revived another classic name to win over a new generation of buyers...."

"...But this time, the stakes are even higher...."

"...The company is promising “breakthrough electric vehicles” made in America...."

"...That strategy could give Ford a weapon in the fight for EV affordability, a challenge even Tesla hasn’t fully solved...."

"...It quickly found a following among farmers, tradespeople, and California surfers alike...."

"...It competed head-to-head with Chevrolet’s El Camino, part of a wave of so-called “car-truck hybrids” that traced their lineage back to Australian “utes” of the 1930s, multipurpose vehicles that could haul hay bales in the morning and churchgoers in the afternoon...."

"...Ford is clearly leaning into the symbolism...."

"...Born in secrecy on the third floor of Ford’s Piquette Plant, the Model T was designed to be universal: affordable, repairable, and adaptable for everything from climbing Pike’s Peak to serving as a snowmobile...."

"...Ford says it wants to recreate that breakthrough, this time with EVs...."

"...If the Ranchero is part of that vision, it could bring back the practicality and personality of the car-pickup hybrid for a new generation...."

"...This time powered by electrons, not gasoline...."

"...And if history is any guide, the electric version of the Ranchero could bridge the gap between work and play in a market where most EV pickups still aim for size and luxury, not versatility and price...."