- Ford opened a 250,000 sq-ft EV development center in Long Beach, California.
- The new team will develop a low-cost electric midsize truck by 2027.
- A former Tesla engineer leads the 350-person EV skunkworks team at Ford.
Ford has opened the doors to a new Electric Vehicle Development Center in Long Beach, California, signaling a focus on its next chapter in electric mobility. The new campus is dedicated to developing low-cost EVs, including an affordable midsize electric truck that’s expected to launch by 2027.
The 250,000-square-foot Long Beach facility features a range of resources to support the design and testing of new models. It includes a digital visualization room, an outdoor courtyard for hands-on design reviews, a milling and fabrication shop, and fully equipped EV testing labs.
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Jolanta Coffey, Director of Ford’s Global New Model Launch and Americas PD Operations, shared on LinkedIn that the Long Beach team is working closely with counterparts in Dearborn to bring Ford’s first low-cost EV platform to life. “Excited to have been here for the official opening and to see so many of the team in person,” she wrote.
Speaking with Long Beach Post News, Coffey confirmed that a midsize electric truck is in the pipeline, aiming for a 2027 release. While technical specs haven’t been disclosed, the upcoming model is expected to fall in the same size category as the Ford Ranger. The goal, she added, is to “define a new era for electric vehicles.”
Ford
The low-cost EV program, previously known internally as the Skunkworks Team, is being led by Alan Clarke, Ford’s Director of Advanced EV Development. Clarke brings EV experience from his previous role at Tesla, where he served as Director of New Programs Engineering. His team currently includes 350 employees, with plans to add 100 more in the near future.
As part of a broader reshuffle, Ford will be closing its design studio in Irvine this November. Employees from that location have been offered the option to relocate to either Long Beach or Dearborn, Michigan.
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In a recent blog post, Ann Diep, a senior technical program manager at Ford, described the new Long Beach facility as an “open collaborative space.” She noted that more details on Ford’s future strategy and manufacturing plans will be shared on August 11, emphasizing that the company is prioritizing “simplicity, efficiency, and the desire to spark excitement” in its development process.
This new campus also marks a return to Long Beach for Ford, which operated an assembly plant in the city from 1930 until 1958. That earlier facility built vehicles like the Ford Model A, along with several Lincoln and Mercury models.
