You may recall that on Tuesday The Autopian became the first publication to get photos of a prototype Ford Universal EV pickup truck — a highly anticipated, $30,000-ish electruck from The Blue Oval. A reader noticed that the camouflage wrapped around the truck contained a QR code. I wonder where that goes? Let’s find out!
Shoutout to reader Matt, who noticed the QR codes slathered along the body — QR codes that are quite small and drowned out by fun dogs and soccer balls and sailboats and hearts and painters trays and anvils.
Here are a few photos that show the camo up close:
It’s kind of amazing for all of the work we did to start at that camo that we never noticed. Anyway, I figured I’d tell you all where these little QR codes actually go, and it’s right here. Here’s the URL, by the way; it contains the word “camo” and”spot[ted]” twice: https://www.ford.com/spotted/?fcid=qrc-camo-lifestyle&qrcid=qrc=camo-lifestyle-fv-spot
Hot dog! We have new footage of the prototype EV ute testing on the track! Before we get to that, let’s click that video at the top. The clip is a little intro from Alan Clarke, Vice President, Advanced Development Projects. He runs Ford’s Long Beach EVDC (Electric Vehicle Development Center):
“Welcome, chances are you saw something on the road that piqued your interest and you’re here because you’re curious,” Clarke begins. “You’re just like us — really interested in new technology, innovation, and something pretty unique and interesting you saw on the road.”
Clarke continues:
“This website will be your exclusive window into our progress — a place where we show you how we’re doing things differently as our team develops an electric vehicle that’s accessible and exciting, one innovation at a time. So come on back sometime soon and take a look at the different things that this team across the world is doing to make sure that this product is ready for market in 2027.”
Down below the video are two others, one showing the prototype being assembled by an employee named Mark Gentry who, in Ford’s New Model Program Development Center, marvels at just how easy it is to put this new EV truck together. In the screenshots below you can see the cast aluminum instrument panel being married (via adhesive and threaded fasteners) to the stamped steel chassis:
The third video you see when you follow the camo prototype’s QR code shows Ford test engineer Chris Kirkland snow-drifting the EV truck in Michigan’s upper peninsula. The footage actually shows some interesting details not obvious on the prototype The Autopian photographed on Tuesday in Long Beach. One such detail is the wheels, which are exposed here:
Another detail is the nose, which on the prototype I saw on Tuesday was covered in some kind of bulky black mass. Here, the nose looks more like the aerodynamic shape you’d expect this truck to have based on the aerodynamic imagery Ford has shown (like the one below):
Check out that tapered hood (and also look at the truck drift with its front wheels at opposite-lock and its rears kicking up snow; looks fun!):
By contrast, here’s what I saw on Tuesday:
Anyway, I just thought I’d show you all what’s on the test mule’s QR code hidden in the camo. Looks like Ford will be updating that site regularly as the EV pickup/ute gets closer to its 2027 launch.
All screenshots Ford unless otherwise stated
Another yawn inducing sh*tty crew cab, Slate for me.
Assuming rough price parity, I’m still going Slate, just for the extreme minimalism. If this is anything close to what’s promised though, it’s very compelling…. since I put my reservation down on a slate I now have a baby, so the math has changed. I think my heart will win out.
Without battery swap capability in place aka CATL-technology, EV’s will never be more than they are now which are expensive, value-losing, potential brickware four-wheel disposable in 5 years like smartphones automobiles.
Charging is what my cell phones need. Battery swap stations is what my electric cars need to succeed.
What? Why would we even need that? Car batteries are lasting hundreds of thousands of miles with only about 30% degradation. There is no need for battery swap locations. If you are wearing out an electric car in 5 years, the gas car would have been dead in 2.5 years.
It isn’t degradation of the battery it is the day-to-day charging. EV’s will not take off until they can be fully charged in the same time it takes to fill up a gasoline or diesel fuel tank in the United States. Just an opinion, however.
If you can charge your car at home, there is essentially 0 time to fully charge it (overnight). I can’t charge at home and have the slowest charging EV (Bolt EV) and have *no* issues charging. Road trips are doable if slightly painful adding 45 minutes per charge stop, but I’m the worst case scenario. The newest cars and chargers can charge the batteries in 15 minutes. Most people can’t go to the bathroom and buy a snack at a gas station in that time, and you’ll only do that on road trips.
That’s assuming you can charge at home, many can’t.
A third live in apartments or row homes that don’t have driveways.
Of those in single family homes, around 40% would need significant electrical upgrades before installing a L2 charger.
I agree with 1BMF, although for different reasons. The vast majority of Americans have one primary vehicle, that is driven daily. That vehicle is used for every task, no matter how impractical. If that vehicle has a chance of not fully recharging overnight, the average illogical customer will not buy it. If road trips in the vehicle are a likely use, EVs will be ignored until fast charging comes down in time.
When shopping vehicles, customers buy based on worst scenario edge cases. It needs to have/be able to do X, Y, and Z, even if that’s a once a year or less frequent thing. The same goes for other expensive purchases, like homes. The rich have been trying to change human nature for hundreds of years, and still haven’t succeeded.
Did you miss the part where I can’t charge at home (a 106 year old Victorian with only street parking) and it’s not a big deal to own and charge. But charging at one of my work sites on a Level 2 charger does do more than half of my charging duty. The other is fast chargers around my area, especially when I go into shops like Target, Costco, etc. Again, not charging at home is no big deal unless you drive 100+ miles to work every day, which very, VERY few people do.
Damn, thanks for letting me know. I guess I’ll have to see if the dump will take my 2016 daily. And I guess I’ll have to reach out to the hundreds of EVs I’ve serviced and tell give them the bad news.
2016… You must have a Leaf or Tesla?
Spark EV. It’s a terrible/amazing car.
I simultaneously miss it (it’s a hoot!) and don’t (my Bolt has +3x the range).
As the owner of formerly two now just one Mitsubishi Mirage (non-ev of course) I know what you mean by terribly amazing!
I don’t get the point of adding that extra blocky bit of camo/cladding to the hood… on a vehicle where you’re going to link to a video not showing it. Why go through the trouble? Do they put sensors in there or something to track stats? I kind of understand putting prototypes under some weird camo wrap like this, but the added square bits? Are there seriously folks out there who see a camo prototype out in the wild going “I don’t know what that is because it has a squared off part up front”, then, when the full product is revealed, are suddenly “WOW! I totally need this vehicle! I wasn’t going to buy it before because I thought it was slightly blocky up front. But now? NOW?! Heck yes!”
Camo and cladding on test mules feels like an 8-track player to me.
It even felt stupid 30 years ago when MotorWeek was snapping pictures of test mules.
They’re driving these mules in public, on public streets. Your expectation to privacy is exactly ZERO. Why bother to cover it up?? We know what it is and who’s making it.
It reminds me of the idiots who put their thumb in front of their plates on FB Marketplace ads. You’re not hiding anything.
I mean, it’s marketing… You’re reading this article aren’t you? It’s a hype generating stunt as old as time.
I read the article primarily for the point of it; which was the QR code in the camouflage.
I am not in the market for a small pickup and won’t ever buy another Ford. If someone were wanting a small trucklet, there is a fringe case that the hype a singular camouflaged small truck driving around creates is somehow generating sales.
And they wouldn’t generate any hype if they didn’t add a bit of blocky cladding to the leading edge of the hood? Call me crazy, but I’m fairly certain there would also be articles written that generate hype if this were shown with zero camo as well.
To be honest, when I saw the original camo one, the front end reminded me of my prius fascia that got pummeled over the years and had to be replaced and then when I saw the one out testing that wasn’t near as break-apart-y it has made me consider it more.
“Alan Clarke”
At first I read this as Adrian Clarke and was confused, ha ha
Do others think the hood is rather short?
I’m ok with it, just surprised by the side profile screen grabs/video.
Maybe it’s because the windshield has such an extended slope toward the front.
Not at all.
There is no reason for it to be even that large. For example a larger truck with an ICE can have a smaller hood,
https://www.cargurus.com/details/433541768?sourceContext=google&cgfv=0.36&cgfr=2&cgfab=Q&ax8324=503&px8324=p2&dnetworktype=r&cgfdate=2026612&cgfloc=en&type=&kw=&matchtype=&ad=&placement=&device=m&devicemodel=&adposition=&cp=20489805974&adg=&fi=&tid=&lc=9260250&lm=&tgt=&aceid=&cgsp=sp338038&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20489804105&gbraid=0AAAAAD9Jm5bulzaqRy9MO4cUFNxtep9Qs&gclid=Cj0KCQjw3K7RBhDJARIsAKRtP5QEgahzHarbpZiRm0sM5SShSkKYWvCMiRBRn10AyZbV0TD8on9CFogaAp7ZEALw_wcB&pid=mini_vdp_main_image
You’re right about not really needing a long hood. If this were marketed as a “truck”, then a longer hood would make the design more proportional, more “truck”. See Telo MT1.
Ford, Farley and others, have called it a “pickup”, so I guess a “pickup” has a fluid interpretation. Without stopping to think, my mind considered “pickup” and “truck” as the same. Now it’s more plain that Ford’s “pickup” will have a front design more akin to a “car”.
“Truck” front design of Maverick
Telo MT1, with a front end doesn’t even have a “hood”.
I think the defining characteristic of a truck is the cargo area, and to a great extent how the rest of the truck is optimized to the task of getting the cargo from point a to b.
More cargo and smaller footprint for anything less than a tractor trailer is optimal. I can remember when truck size was regulated and all the big trucks were COE.
Crummy forward visibility for truck cosplay seems dumb to me.
Less hood for more front legroom is fine
Agree with that.
Double credit for the effective marketing gimmick, and for the first wrap-style car camo I’ve ever seen that meaningfully disguised the shape of the vehicle.
The CEO of Ford says fords are too complicated for the average person to repair safely.
My translation sees that as a Ford design fail, if true.
So the question at this point is, should anyone consider owning a Ford under any circumstances?
Or what if CEO’s are wrong and dumb. Look at what the Rivian guy said about interior design.
Makes you miss the days of Mergio Sarchionne.
I’m sorry I missed that!
Looks like fun.
Don’t ceos know not to get in street fights?
As an OEM engineer I had to go through several levels of training just to be allowed to safely stand in a room near a production model 800 volt EV and not even work on it. OEM procedures are complex.
Yet untrained people are allowed to buy them and start unscrewing bits outside in the rain while wearing copper shoes, without even reading the owners manual. Who is responsible for the ensuing sparks/fire/death/bit of trim that never fits right afterwards?
If someone doesn’t have enough self interest to maintain safety, God would be responsible for that, not Ford.
Even using a hammer, you have to know where your limits are.
I have observed that mechanics often assume that if they can work on mechanical bits, they’re qualified to troubleshoot wiring and circuitry, but it’s not the same thing.
It is absurd to make repairs arcane by design though.
I have some knowledge of high voltage and amperage, and caution required. I hope I’m not optimistic about other’s enlightened self interest in not recreating Ark of the Covenant pyrotechnics by failing to use best practices.
I’m with DNF here, if you kill yourself while working on an EV that’s on you. If you are just driving or standing nearby and something goes wrong and fries you, that’s on GM.
Shoes?
Bare feet on wet cement.
I suppose we should ban jacks and jack stands too then since people kill themselves misusing those all the time.
I’d rather we just adopted a nuanced approach where we have a compromise between total corporate monopoly and widespread chainsawing of batteries.
Then they would use milk crates and cinder blocks.
There are some pretty sketchy jack stands out there
Aren’t skunk works teams supposed to be quite secretive and work behind the scenes?
I was thinking similarly. The concept has been co-opted by the marketing department.
Have you ever smelled a skunk? There is nothing secretive about them. Everyone in a mile radius knows when a skunk goes off. Ergo, “skunkworks” is a dumb name for a secretive organization. Should be chameleonworks or something like that.
Oh skunks are all about their secretions.
Skunk works takes its name from the lil Amber comic strip. The Advanced Development Programs division at Lockheed Martin got its name from “Skonk Works,” a fictional, foul-smelling moonshine and “skonk oil” factory in, Li’l Abner. Employees at Lockheed would answer the unlisted phone number “Skonk Works” to ascertain that the caller wasn’t just someone dialing a wrong number or a spy of some kind.
Looks terrific! Hopefully one day I’ll be able to own an electric car since I have nowhere to charge one and take my car on 2 big 5K trips a year. I’m not being sarcastic.
5K is only like 3 miles, so that shouldn’t stop you. 🙂
Maybe they prefer driving very inefficiently?
At that mileage it might also be worth it to rent something for the long drives even if your primary car is gas. On multi-thousand mile trips I like to rent something more comfortable than my daily and I don’t have to worry about maintenance or oil changes.
I’d never recommend an EV to anyone who can’t charge at home using those lovely low residential kWh rates. If your commute is under 50 miles or so, even a simple 120v outlet can top you off every night for most EVs (really depends on the EV efficiency miles/kWh). Level 2 220v is preferred though. Depending on the EV, electric rates, and local gas pricing, the cost per mile is typically about 1/4 compared to gas. Sometimes a little more, sometimes a lot less.
Without charge-at-home, I think hybrids are the way to go.
Once you’re on the highway in an EV though, and you don’t mind paying gasoline $4 gallon or more equivalent for those expensive level-3 quick charges, you should have no problem on long road trips. Just stay close to the major interstates and highways. Lots more options now for fast charging for level-3 high speed charging,
Unfortunately level-3 high speed charging pricing is wild-west. Imagine if gas stations didn’t put the price anywhere but on the pumps, AND they could change the price whenever they wanted. That’s the way it is with level-3 charging. Pricing is mostly only found on individual apps, and can change on time of day / demand /whim.. plus some charge just by kWh, other by the minute. Some add on connection fees, other add on standby fees. It’s a crap shoot when it comes to the actual cost you’ll pay if you want to shop around. There are some websites that help, but they’re not complete nor always accurate. If you don’t want to compare pricing , you may just settle on one vendor and a monthly subscription fee to get a reduced price (still 5-10x higher then residential) per kWh, but then you’re limited to one brand of charge station.
This country needs regulation setting the rules for transparent and public pricing on all level-3 stations both online, and in the physical world so the cost can be compared as you’re driving by. That doesn’t exists. As long as you’re willing to pay though, a 5,000 mile trip by EV is at least do-able.
Or you get lucky like I did and discover there are multiple free EV chargers at work, so not being able to charge at home barely matters. I work third shift, 10 hours, with barely anyone else there (tonight I have the building to myself) so it doesn’t even matter if it takes all night. That has arguably made an EV my next purchase instead of the project car I want to buy that I then have to rent shop space to work on.
Yeah, I can charge at work for free too.
I won’t yet because when I was in the market the price difference between the Honda Fit I bought and a Leaf or Bolt was almost double and I plan to keep that car a long time, but if it were smashed tomorrow I’d be looking for a good used small-body Bolt.
I was considering a 500e for a bit, but I’d rather wait until current car is paid off and then opt for a Slate or Ford’s upcoming EV. Or maybe an R3X.
Lucky!
Only problem I see with with relying on at-work charging is you’re sort of stuck in that job. It’s great if you can get it for free, but not so great if you don’t have a plan-B option.
There are also, to be fair, dozens of chargers around my office, several of them at a store I frequent. 10 miles from home is not the worst. There are probably others closer to if I actually Googled it, though. Houston has many chargers.
Edit: I have also worked at FAR worse than my current employer. I have no real complaints about this place and am pretty happy here, and I should have a substantial raise coming next year on top of that. Kinda fell ass backwards into it but it’s been great.
What’s that that keeps picking my pocket? Oh, it’s that invisible hand of free market capitalism.
Out of my pocket you creepy invisible hand.
I haven’t really found the price thing to be true in practice. Most of the pricing’s available on PlugShare, and it seems to be accurate so far.
I found it wasn’t quite accurate last time I check a random station. Not off by much but demand pricing, extra fees, cost of monthly subscription factor in ( pay a fee monthly for lower kWH still adds costs) all make pricing volatile so relying on previous users to post cost isn’t always going to work.
Like I hinted yesterday, that camo is to get your attention, not hide anything. Better send Ford a bill for all the free advertising you just gave ’em…
It’s at least one lost F350 key’s worth.
On many Ford trucks you can add the option of 2 extra chip keys for a little over $50… so the real price of an F350 key is about $25!
The ford Subaru Baja rides again.
Fobaru.
Subord.
Subfordaru.
Forsubarurd.
Fobaru seems awfully close to fubar.
It would make for a good custom license plate.
Well, I would have put a QR code for this on there
No matter how corny, I long for the innocence of the time.
If they need to do a horse name, based on current events and Ford history, they should call it…
GOLDEN TEMPO.
I just hope it does better than Mr. Ed(sel).
(Meme of Spiderman sitting in a room behind a desk, alone, with the caption “And I’m just sitting here hoping the Slate truck really comes in at ‘mid 20s’ “
Dammit, now they have me invested and I’m rooting for Ford.
Watch the other video – –
I find it fascinating that it’s not just the IP being installed – it’s one piece with the cowl and front suspension supports/crumple zones and HVAC hard point/plumbing & fan – bolted onto the central body section from the front.
This is a major change from how things are normally done.
I like it when manufacturers have fun like this. Keep it coming.
Also sounds like they’re going with a horse name for it, given the “herd” and unicorn emoticon they used.
Wonder if there’s any clues with the items used on the camo?
Pinto
Palomino
Mule
Mare
I’m out of horse words.
Is Horse Pepsi okay?
Sorry, it’s not as good as Horse Coke, so I’ll have coffee.
So close!
(I didn’t mean to set you up for failure, I just couldn’t resist)
I feel like its time to turn in my NerdCredTM card.
Pegasus ? Steed? Stallion?
Colt
Probably Mitsubishi still owns that.
eh, I’m just naming names lol
Appaloosa
Turkoman
Clydesdale
Dutch Warmblood
Fjord Horse….
ooo I like that the new Ford Fjord!
Keep it up, you’ll end up going hoarse.
Yearling, Filly, Colt, Zebra
Seabiscuit!
Gelding?
Mule works, though might have negative connotations for some.
I’ve taken to calling it the RanCouriero though until more is revealed.
Colt?
Gelding. Done.
Buy truck nuts futures, because they are coming back.
How about the Ford Fjord?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fjord_horse
‘The brand new Ford Donkey… this Cruck* will always cover your ass…’
*growing up all the ‘car trucks’ we called ‘Crucks’
It could be fun to bring back the Ranchero name though someone with auto mkt SME knowledge would have to advise if such an old model name would have any, ‘brand value’.
Although assuming they bought (or maintained the legal.naming rights) that alone could go a long way in favor of reusing that name. Usually auto companies go through a lot of work to ensure a model name doesn’t mean something stupid in another major market local language.
They should call it what it is. The Ford F-0.25
Ford F400v or whatever voltage the battery is supposed to be lol
I hope it doesn’t mean they are just gonna stick it under a mustang submodel like the mach-e.
Would this be the Mach-T?
Mach-del “T”
Shades of Lincoln naming everything “MK-(Random Letter)”
I fear that would be too fun, and it would be like Mach-V or something
jokes aside, I kinda gravitate towards Palomino as the horse name for some reason.
Matcha-T you mean
I hope not as well.
If they did, though… Mach-T? Sounds too close to Mach-E. Macherick? Mustang Courier? Can’t use Pony Express since chevy is still using express.
But they can use “Pony” – as that’s been a trimline on everything from Mustangs to Pintos.
And it’s a Hyundai
I don’t believe Hyundai still has a copyright or trademark on Pony as a model name considering Ford is still using it.
Przewalski
Mustang Bronc-e
Spoiler: they weren’t being tongue in cheek and the thing is literally called “unicorn”.
As it’s four doors, it’ll be called MUSTANG MACH 4! /s
Purosangue?
Wasabi
The Ford photos don’t have door handles, unlike the one that David saw. Can anyone see if there’s a driver display in any of the pictures? Those are two things I’m worried about it not having.
Otherwise, now that we can see more of the shape I really like it. I’m starting to get excited about this trucklet and I hope I can get one with AWD and 250mi range for $40k. They’ve said previously the $30k will have a ~55kWh battery and RWD.
Look at the assembly photo – There’s clearly a big laptop screen front and center with a forward-facing camera eye.
You can also see it from the outside in the driving screenshot.
I would guess that no door handles prototype was prior to China’s ban.
Ford wont’ be selling these in China.
I know I always reference it, but I have the figures in my head. A 5 with the 52kWh battery has a (WLTP) range of about 400km (which is about 240 miles).
C’mon Ford, G.D. it, I’m rooting for you on this one – a legacy American company actually trying to do what it takes to build an impactful, accessible product that could change the light duty vehicle product landscape for the better. (I dare not utter ‘Model T moment’ since they disappointed me with how the F150 Lightning pricing turned out.) Right now I’m very close to reserving a Slate, but if Ford doesn’t drag their feet for too long and actually show what they’ve got and disclose their pricing targets, I might end up wanting a new Ford instead.
I feel like this will completely destroy the Slate if you need more than a 2-seater.
I was rooting for the Slate, but this will just eat it’s lunch if Slate can’t differentiate on the one thing that got me excited for it – the cost.
Pretty sure this has a mid-gate too. Makes the bed very versatile.
I am rooting for the Slate, and hope they succeed if for no other reason than to keep the pressure on Ford and others who want to compete in the affordable EV space. At $20K the Slate was a no-brainer… but at $30K and up it’s probably not going to make it unless Mr. sugar daddy steps in.
I’d love it if the best ideas from Slate
(no dealers, plastic body panels, minimal useless tech, separate vehicle and entertainment systems)
were added to the best from this new EV
(efficient / 4 doors / AWD / towing? / 250+ range / mid-gate / full set of safety features like blind side warning and emergency braking)
However on balance, this truck looks like the best bet unless you really, really want a dumbed-down 2-door electric pickup.
Yea I’m looking forward to the 24th when they announce pricing to decide if the Slate dream is dead or not.
I just don’t see a mid gate in this, just too expensive to do so at the intended price point. I don’t think it makes sense as an option on higher trims either as that would also add cost to models w/o it.
Probably a choice of real colors included in MSRP as well.
I dont think it will be a Model T moment, but I do hope its an XJ Cherokee moment.
All they need to do is avoid volatile material supply issues with batteries now.
I think they *should* be OK on that front, given that Ford has battery manufacturing overcapacity such that they’re selling into the grid storage market. Also they are LFP batteries, which avoid the volatility of nickel and cobalt pricing. Obviously they’re still exposed to lithium pricing, supply shocks, etc. Still, very good point.
Breaking in to battery as electric grid storage that as far as I know BYD did 1st? From an automaker expanding their ev vehicle offerings would seem to make a whole lot of dollars and cents.
1. Allows the company to expand in ro a new line of business.
2. Allows for potentially stronger purchasing power position.
3. Allows the company (if needed) to flex up either ev car production vs. Grid battery solution production as business demand ebbs and flows foe both, as long as both are not too closely correlated of course…
4. Possibly could offer the board a reason for the company to conduct their own battery research & if they find something novel and potentially lucrative et another business opportunity, though at least to.start Im sure taking on an existing battery producer.as a partner…
I’d love to be in the meetings where Marketing and Development people meet to decide how/when/where to trickle out information.
Drink every time you hear the word “engagement.”
Or “viral.”
“Impressions”
I’ve only got one liver. I’m out.
Drunk by 10am.
*vibe*
Market fit
Tailwinds
Synergy
Relationship
On brand
How can we help serve both your wants and needs?
I’m digging it!
If it charges relatively quickly, has a max range near 300 miles, comes in AWD and can tow 3500 lbs or so, PLUS supports wireless CarPlay and has proper physical buttons and switches, it may replace our 25 maverick and 24 Ioniq 6 in a couple of years.
Guessing a nice trim with those options at $40k + or so. Hell no to self driving, self parking and pop out door handles.
I’d kind of like to reduce the fleet here, and this potentially could be the ticket.
I just don’t see how 300 miles would be remotely possible given the pricepoint.
Hoping they’ll offer a larger battery + ford seems to be focusing on high efficiency/ good miles/kWh. That + AWD so I figure $40k ish for the options (maybe) to get to 300ish miles.
Sadly, I tried the Konami Code on the site and it produced nothing.
That is a really neat easter egg!