Ford’s $28,350 Fathom Takes Aim at the Bare-Bones EV Pickup

Ford’s $28,350 Fathom Takes Aim at the Bare-Bones EV Pickup
Ford is betting that the affordable electric pickup does not have to feel like a penalty box. Its new Fathom arrives with a $28,350 starting price—and a direct challenge to the bare-bones formula embraced by rival Slate.

Ford’s earlier EV push centered on electrifying the F-150, but weak demand, dealer resistance and heavy losses helped force a reset. The company cancelled the F-150 Lightning and built a California skunkworks team to devise a cheaper, clean-sheet Universal Electric Vehicle platform.

That rethink produced the Fathom, a midsize four-door pickup Ford says will enter production at its revamped Louisville Assembly Plant next year, with deliveries due before the end of 2027. Pre-orders are expected to open early next year. Ford’s pitch is scale: front, middle and rear vehicle sections will be assembled in parallel, while simpler construction is intended to cut component and labor costs.

The central contrast is with the $24,950 Slate Truck, which is expected on roads later this year—giving it roughly a year’s head start. Slate’s lower price comes with stark trade-offs: no paint, power windows, touchscreen or standard stereo, and two seats unless buyers add a $5,000 SUV kit. Ford is instead promising a large touchscreen with Apple Maps, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, an open bed and frunk, plus room exceeding that of a Toyota RAV4.

Ford’s price is not quite the whole number: the Fathom carries a further $1,595 delivery charge. It will also offer bidirectional charging and BlueCruise driver assistance, though BlueCruise is expected to cost extra. The Fathom is therefore not the cheapest electric truck coming—but Ford is wagering that buyers will pay a few thousand dollars more to avoid manual-window austerity and gain the utility of a four-door vehicle.

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