Ford has named its new midsize electric truck the Fathom and said it will be available for pre-order in early 2027. Equipped with the standard-range battery, the truck will have a starting MSRP of $28,350.

“The price is the least interesting thing about it,” Kay Hart, general manager of Ford Model e, said in a statement. “Projected to have more passenger volume than a Toyota RAV4, with a large, high-resolution touch screen, bidirectional power capability, digital key, as well as a frunk and bed for added cargo flexibility, Fathom seats five adults and is just as comfortable on a workday commute as it is on a weekend adventure.”

Advanced technology adds value to the already well-equipped Fathom. Hart said that every truck is BlueCruise capable, and the Fathom’s BlueCruise integration with Apple Maps offers a more seamless on-ramp to off-ramp experience. Fathom is also Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capable.

Naming a Truck, Without Numbers

Unlike other Ford vehicles that have been named using alphanumeric code, a string of letters and numbers tells you about a trim level, an engine, and a spec, Hart said Ford has been committed to doing things differently with this truck from the beginning.

“It’s in its DNA. And so, we wanted to choose a name, to give the vehicle personality, a soul, and make it a character in our customer’s life,” she expanded. “That philosophy guided our nine-month naming journey. Fathom’s capability is undeniable, but there is more to the product than appears to the eye.”

Why Ford Named it Fathom

First, the team scoured the Ford archives, examining how the company has named vehicles for more than a century, from the Galaxie and Taurus to Ford's first vehicle to bridge the gap between car and truck, the Ranchero. Each option had a specific implication, one that might not suit our new electric truck.

“What communicates depth below the surface? How do we communicate an emotional feeling of a vehicle that’s more than it appears to be?” Hart explained. “So the team asked themselves: ‘What communicates depth below the surface? How do we communicate an emotional feeling of a vehicle that’s more than it appears to be?’”

Two Ford copywriters separately conceived “Fathom.” It wasn’t an immediate decision, though. The name lived in a file with hundreds of other options, Hart said.

Ahead of meetings where small groups of contender names were chopped, the naming team walked the floor asking as many as 15 engineers to pick their favorite. Hart said one engineer, unsurprisingly someone who fit the truck’s customer profile, had the uncanny ability to choose the winner before every meeting.

As the list dwindled, Fathom survived every single cut until it was on a short list, easily separating itself as the top choice among focus groups. And that engineer? He was the first to hear about the final selection.

“We built our new midsize electric truck for a person we spent years getting to know,” Hart said. “As customers start exploring the technology and design of Fathom, that's when the connection between name, product and driver becomes clear.”