The $40,000 Ford Fathom electric ute is nearing production. It could come to Australia.

Could Ford’s new Fathom $40,000 electric dual cab come to Australia?

A carefully worded statement has left the door ajar for Ford’s affordable new EV ute to head down under.

“Fathom is the first vehicle produced on Ford’s new Universal Electric Vehicle platform,” an official Ford Australia statement reads.

READ MORE: Ford teases radical $40,000 mid-size electric ute: Designed to smash the BYD Shark 6 and Toyota HiLux EV for range and efficiency
READ MORE: USA versus China: Ford’s revolutionary EV rollout takes key step towards Australian launch
READ MORE: Ford reinvents its global EV future: Eight affordable new models led by dual cab ute coming to tackle the Chinese head-on

“It has only been confirmed for the North American market at this stage.”

That “at this stage” is the giveaway. It leaves Ford Australia wriggle room if the opportunity to import Fathom firms up down the track.

Ford confirmed the Fathom name and US pricing last week. It starts from US$28,350, or roughly A$40,000 based on the August 10 exchange rate.

Fathom is the first model built on Ford’s new low-cost Universal EV Platform.

EV Central reported the platform’s Australian ambitions a year ago, when Ford trademarked six local nameplates including Fathom.

We also detailed the aggressive engineering behind the ute in February, when Ford teased advanced aerodynamics, uni-body castings and a bounty system aimed at squeezing every possible kilometre of range from the smallest, cheapest battery pack.

That efficiency focus is designed to help the Fathom undercut rivals like the BYD Shark 6 and an eventual Toyota HiLux EV.

Orders open in the USA and Canada in early 2027. Deliveries don’t start until 2028.

That pushes any potential Australian arrival out to 2029 or 2030.

The Fathom name has also been trademarked in Australia. That’s not confirmation it’s coming, but it’s another data point in its favour.

Ford has confirmed Fathom will be built in Louisville, Kentucky, using a new “assembly tree” manufacturing process. The photo topping this story was issued by Ford on August 13 to highlight the re-development of its new home.

Fathom is the first of eight models planned for the Universal EV Platform.

Ford has confirmed Fathom will be a five-seater with more claimed passenger space than a RAV4. That’s an odd comparison, given the two aren’t direct rivals.

There’s also an under-bonnet frunk for extra luggage space, alongside the traditional tray.

Bidirectional charging, a large high-resolution touchscreen, a digital key, BlueCruise hands-free driving and wireless CarPlay/Android Auto are all confirmed.

Ford hasn’t released dimensions. But it repeatedly describes Fathom as “mid-size”, suggesting it’s roughly the same size as the Australian-developed Ranger.

US reports have suggested otherwise, pointing to something closer in size to the smaller Maverick, which isn’t sold here.

Fathom will be offered with rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive. A 0-100km/h time as quick as a four-cylinder Mustang, around 5.5 seconds is bering targeted.

It’ll use cheaper lithium-iron phosphate battery chemistry and a new regenerative braking system.

The battery pack itself is a structural part of the platform. That means Fathom won’t use a traditional ladder-frame chassis like the Ranger.

Fathom was one of hundreds of names Ford considered.

Ford’s Model e boss, and former Ford Australia chief, Kay Hart explained the thinking behind avoiding an alphanumeric name like F-150.

“It had to capture a mindset, shifting the focus from specs to a spirit of adaptability.”

There’s still no word on range, battery capacity, charging speeds, power, torque, towing or payload.

Those numbers will heavily influence local interest, if and when Ford decides to bring Fathom here.

So will the landed price. The lower Ford can keep it, the stronger the case for Australia.

Electric utes have made little impact locally so far. Buyer attention is currently shifting from diesel to plug-in hybrid utes instead.

But by the end of the decade, the NVES CO2 emissions scheme will be biting hard. That will potentially make a genuinely affordable electric ute like Fathom look a lot more attractive to Australian buyers, and to Ford.