When Ford introduced the Maverick compact pickup in 2021, it was an instant hit. The small truck's combination of a sub-$20,000 starting price, standard hybrid powertrain, and practical utility tapped into a huge untapped market.

Ford's $30,000 EV will ride on the Maverick's success, China's major success is SDVs and GM's Cruise is back (kind of).

Ford will invest $5 billion, including $2 billion at its Louisville, Kentucky factory on top of $3 billion already announced for its BlueOval battery plant. It will expand the Louisville facility by 52,000 square feet and "create or secure" nearly 4,000 direct jobs, Ford added.