I’m always saying that if a gap in the market is obvious to one OEM, it’s obvious to all of them. Generally, if a manufacturer comes out with a segment-busting new model that sells like gangbusters, their rivals usually sit up and take notice.

After the F-150 Lightning, Ford’s next electric pickup could arrive as the Ranchero EV. Ford filed a trademark with the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) under the name Ranchero on August 5, 2025. Although details are slim, the application is for motor vehicles, specifically trucks, vans, utility vehicles, and electric cars.

Ford will invest $5 billion, including $2 billion at its Louisville, Kentucky factory on top of $3 billion already announced for its BlueOval battery plant. It will expand the Louisville facility by 52,000 square feet and "create or secure" nearly 4,000 direct jobs, Ford added.

Ford announced the creation of a new production process and platform to help it bring its next EV to market in 2027.

The Ford Universal EV platform will launch a midsize electric pickup in 2027. The new truck will start at $30,000.