Ford just dropped a bombshell in the EV world: a $30,000 mid-size electric pickup, built on its new Universal EV platform and scheduled for 2027. It’s compact on the outside, bigger than a Toyota RAV4 on the inside, quick enough to match a Mustang EcoBoost, and affordable enough to disrupt the market. It’s exactly the kind of attention-grabbing EV announcement that makes you wonder: should BMW — a brand that’s publicly dismissed pickups as “beyond the brand” — take another look at the segment, especially as electrification reshapes customer expectations?
Ford’s Big EV Play
Ford’s new mid-size EV truck will ride on a cost-efficient 400-volt architecture, use lithium-iron-phosphate batteries, and debut with over-the-air updates and BlueCruise hands-free driving. Built in Louisville, Kentucky, it’s aimed at lowering ownership costs to undercut even a used Tesla Model Y. With a footprint similar to today’s Ford Maverick but more interior room, plus a projected 0–60 mph time of 4.5 seconds, it’s a compelling mix of practicality, speed, and price. The $30,000 starting price is the headline-grabber — and a potential game-changer in a market where most electric pickups start well above $50K.
BMW’s Current Stance: No Pickups, More Rugged SUVs
BMW has been crystal clear on this. In early 2023, Design Chief Adrian van Hooydonk told us that pickups simply aren’t a natural fit for BMW’s identity. In 2024, Senior VP Bernd Körber doubled down, saying the brand will focus instead on more rugged SUVs — vehicles that can still offer capability and adventure without straying from BMW’s core DNA of performance and luxury.
BMW’s flirtations with pickups have been one-offs and experiments — like the E30 M3 ute from the ’80s or the X7 pickup concept in 2019 — never serious production models.
Why the EV Era Changes the Conversation
The electric pickup market isn’t just about heavy-duty towing or hauling anymore. Buyers now want something that can double as a daily driver — with the tech, comfort, and style they expect from their other vehicles. That’s a space BMW already knows well with its SUVs.
Ford’s new $30K EV truck shows there’s real appetite for electric pickups that are quick, practical, and not outrageously expensive. BMW wouldn’t need to hit the same bargain price, but a high-performance, luxury pickup — think a more luxurious answer to the Rivian R1T or even a wild project like the Tesla Cybertruck — doesn’t sound quite as far-fetched as it once did. Think how far fetched the E53 BMW X5 felt in 1999.
The Case For and Against a BMW Pickup
For:
- Expands BMW’s reach into a growing EV segment
- Could target affluent lifestyle buyers rather than work-truck customers
- Electrification allows fresh proportions and storage solutions (frunk + pass-through bed) for U.S. customers who constantly demand more interior and cargo space
Against:
- Risk of diluting brand identity if done poorly
- High development cost for a niche model in BMW’s lineup
- BMW already has the X5, X7, and potentially rugged SUV concepts to capture active lifestyle buyers
Ford’s $30K electric pickup isn’t just another new model — it’s a shot across the bow in the EV truck game. BMW has made it clear that pickups aren’t part of its plans, but with the segment evolving this quickly, it might be time to take another look. The real question isn’t whether BMW should build a rugged work truck, but whether it could deliver a pickup that drives like, well, a BMW.
We shall see…
