Could Ford’s new Universal EV platform spell the end of the Mustang Mach-E? Recent comments from the automaker suggest it’s a real possibility, even if the company isn’t prepared to commit one way or the other right now.

With the F-150 Lightning gone, the Mustang Mach-E stands as the only EV Ford still sells in the United States. The current car will hang around through at least 2027, and a report from last year indicated the model might not see any meaningful upgrades until sometime after 2030. However, even this does not seem guaranteed.

Read: Ford’s $30K Electric Truck Looks So Tiny It Makes A Maverick Seem Grown Up

As part of a campaign to promote the new Universal EV platform, Ford answered a series of questions from its fans. One of them got straight to the point and asked whether the new architecture would underpin a future Mustang Mach-E. The answer was clear.

“No, it will not be used for the Mustang Mach-E,” Ford responded. “This platform was built from a clean sheet to maximize vehicle efficiency.”

First-Gen Wasn’t Good Enough

As noted by Ford Authority, Ford boss Jim Farley has said the car manufacturer went about creating its first generation of EVs, including the Mustang Mach-E, in the “wrong way.” The new Universal EV platform will first be used by a compact pickup truck, recently spied up close in the United States. The platform will then be used by several other Ford models.

Had Ford been committed to keeping the Mustang Mach-E for a long time and building it through to a second generation, using this new platform would have been an obvious choice. Now, if it decides to keep selling the Mach-E until 2030, or well beyond that date, it could quickly start to feel outdated compared to Ford’s second-generation EVs. What’s more, it’s reported that the Ford Escape will be revived in all-electric form towards the end of the decade using the UEV architecture, likely further limiting the appeal of the Mach-E.

Just days after Ford’s long-awaited baby electric pickup was caught under camouflage in the United States, Ford has gone ahead and launched a website for it, kicking off its own teaser campaign for the truck.

The disguised prototypes each carry a scannable QR code that points to a dedicated Ford site, which congratulates visitors for “spotting a unicorn” and adds three videos that show the truck being put through its paces.

Ford, like many of its rivals, has pulled back hard on new EV investment as demand softens and US policy keeps changing. This truck is the exception and so is the Universal EV platform underneath it, which the company is still betting on.

Read: Ford’s $30K Electric Truck Looks So Tiny It Makes A Maverick Seem Grown Up

In the first of the clips, the new baby electric pickup from Ford is shown at a dedicated testing center, before it cuts to a pair of shots showing it being driven around in the snow. The video then offers us a brief look at the manufacturing plant where the truck is coming to life, as well as how its simplified platform is assembled.

In another video, Ford senior vehicle software specialist Chris Kirkland shows more of the truck’s winter testing in Northern Michigan. This video provides an excellent look at the model, which appears to be similar in size to the old Ford Ranger from the 1990s, albeit with four doors.

What About The Design And Price?

The truck’s design is quite interesting and, due to the electric powertrain, it can get away with a very short hood. In addition, it has a steeply raked windshield to aid in aerodynamics. Key elements of the EV being perfected in the snow include the stability and traction control systems, and the truck’s electronic power-assisted steering (EPAS).

Ford has also confirmed what we had suspected, that the baby electric pickup will launch next year. Key specifications and pricing won’t be known until we get closer to its unveiling, but it’s expected to launch from around $30,000 and will come fitted with a lithium-iron phosphate battery pack.

Ford knows its first swing at EVs missed. The Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning sold in respectable numbers but never delivered the volume, margins, or cultural impact the company was chasing, and both have since been overtaken by leaner, cheaper competition. The Blue Oval’s answer is a ground-up reset, and the headline product is a mid-size electric pickup priced at $30,000.

We’ve known about this model for quite some time, developed by Ford’s small skunkworks lab. The brand has now shed new light on the Ford Electric Vehicle Design Center, which houses its ace team of engineers, and provided select members of the automotive press with a quick preview of the new truck.

Read: Ford’s Biggest Product Push In Years Will See 80% Of Its American Lineup Refreshed By 2029

The campus now houses 350 people, including company veterans and new arrivals from startups and the consumer electronics industries. Situated in Long Beach, California, the site is rethinking how Ford should build EVs, making them simpler and cheaper. At the core of this is the new Universal EV Platform.

This platform consists of three large cast elements joined together and then topped by the cab of the pickup, or both body styles, which will follow. While Ford didn’t unveil the electric truck in full, Car and Driver caught a glimpse of a camouflaged mule, noting that it has a traditional pickup truck shape and appears similar in size to the current Maverick, albeit with higher sides on the bed.

In addition, it seems the EV will have a short nose, allowing Ford to expand the cabin size. According to Ford, the truck will have more interior space than a Toyota RAV4.

Easy To Repair

An important aspect of the new platform will be its repairability. After all, there’s no point in selling an affordable car if it has to be scrapped after even the most minor of collisions. According to the chief engineer of Ford’s advanced vehicle structure architecture, the three large platform castings will each include cutlines, where damaged sections can be cut out and replaced with new ones.

48-Volt Tech

Another key area of development is the EV’s wiring. Vehicles using the new platform will rely primarily on 48-volt electrical systems for most components, other than the lights, electric windows, and other parts that will still run at 12 volts. Ford has significantly reduced the amount of wiring used in the vehicle and notes that 48-volt components are also much lighter and smaller.  

In total, the truck will have 20 percent fewer parts and 50 percent fewer cooling hoses and connections than previous Ford EVs, meaning it can be assembled 15 percent faster. Ford says the new pickup will be ready by next year.