Ford promises the same range with 1/3 less battery
This page is translated from the original post "Ford promet autant d’autonomie avec 1/3 de batterie en moins" in French.
- 18/08/2025 14:56
Ford is taking on a major challenge for the future and wants lighter electric vehicles with smaller batteries.
Ford is announcing a new approach for its electric vehicles, aiming to provide a similar range to competitors while using batteries that are up to a third smaller. The goal is to make EVs more affordable and efficient. Finally, a sensible decision?
Doug Field, head of EVs at Ford and former executive at Tesla, explains that the company’s “obsession with efficiency” will allow its future models to travel the same distance with less battery. If successful, this would represent a shift from current practices, where EVs often use heavy, expensive large batteries.
The first model to adopt this approach will be a mid-size pickup truck, offered in the U.S. market at $30,000, based on the new Ford Universal EV platform. Its battery will be around 50 kWh, which is half of that of the current F-150 Lightning. Ford has not specified the exact range, but the goal is to combine a smaller battery with a more efficient design to maintain good performance.
Light is right!
Reducing battery size could significantly lower the cost of EVs, as they remain the most expensive component of an electric vehicle. A Long Range battery can cost up to €20,000 on its own! A smaller battery, combined with better aerodynamics and new manufacturing techniques, could make EVs more accessible.
To achieve this, Ford is relying on several innovations. The new platform reduces the number of parts by 20%, uses large aluminum pieces, and integrates the battery into the vehicle’s floor, thereby reducing weight and material costs. The manufacturer has also developed a production method called “assembly tree” to build these vehicles more efficiently.
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This strategy addresses an economic issue. Ford’s EV division has accumulated around €10 billion in losses over recent years. Smaller and more efficient batteries could make electric vehicles profitable while maintaining competitive range.
Ford is therefore focusing on efficiency rather than battery size to offer lighter, more affordable, and high-performing EVs. If the strategy succeeds, it could finally change the way electric vehicles are designed and sold.
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