New Ford Electric Truck ‘Project T3’ To Start Production in 2025
Ford released the groundbreaking F-150 Lightning just last year, but it’s already looking to build a new electric truck.
Electric trucks have taken a while to come to market, with many major automakers yet to release their offerings in this segment. Ford is already ahead of the pack since the launch of the F-150 Lightning last year. It's not resting on its laurels though, with the company's next EV truck slated to start production in 2025.
Ford's new electric truck is currently known as Project T3. Despite production being just two short years away, further details are scant. The company hasn't released so much as a sketch, render, or teaser image. Ford is calling it a "second-generation" electric truck, indicating it builds on the company's experience developing the F-150 Lightning. It's unlikely to be a direct replacement, though, as the Lightning only entered production in 2022. Instead, common sense would suggest it may be a mid-sized truck, slotting in beneath the Lightning in the size hierarchy.
“PJ O’Rourke once described American pickups as ‘a back porch with an engine attached,'" said Ford President Jim Farley, adding "Well, this new truck is going to be like the Millennium Falcon–with a back porch attached.” Focusing on the high-tech, cutting-edge nature of the new project, Farley stated that “Project T3 is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to revolutionize America’s truck." It's an interesting thing to say just one year after launching the groundbreaking F-150 Lightning, but Farley sounds confident, nonetheless.
The Project T3 name comes from the phrase "Trust the Truck." This became a rallying cry for Ford's team during the development process. The general guiding concept is that the truck should be a dependable vehicle that owners can trust, especially when it comes to towing, hauling, and tackling other jobs. Ford has also highlighted the truck should feature its popular power export features, and will be "fully updateable" from a digital standpoint.
One thing we do know is that the new truck is set to be built at BlueOval City, Ford's new "mega-campus" currently under construction in West Tennessee. The new facility is expected to produce up to 500,000 electric trucks per year when ramped up to full capacity. It's a key part of Ford's plans to expand its EV production to 2 million vehicles per year by late 2026.
According to Ford, by developing Project T3 alongside the assembly plant, it has unlocked new efficiencies in production. It expects that the truck should require a 30 percent smaller general assembly area compared to traditional production plants, while offering higher than usual production capacity.
Thus far, Ford has been enjoying a great run of success with its electric vehicle lineup. Recent years have seen the company double and triple production of the F-150 Lightning and Mustang Mach-E, respectively. Given the strong customer demand for electric Fords, it's no surprise the company plans to expand its EV offerings in the years to come. Stay tuned for details on the next electric Ford truck as soon as they become available.
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