Ford has a new $25,000 crossover SUV coming, but will it go electric?

This one is about cars, not home energy upgrades, but here's what's happening. Ford showed dealers a preview of a new low-cost crossover SUV coming in 2029, expected to start around $25,000, which would make it Ford's cheapest model, priced below the current Maverick. Reports describe it as a boxy SUV resembling the first-generation Escape. It's set to be built at Ford's Hermosillo plant in Mexico.

The notable detail: unlike Ford's new electric pickup, the Fathom, this cheap SUV will not use Ford's electric-vehicle platform. Instead it's expected to come only as a hybrid or a regular gas vehicle, with no electric version planned so far.

Separately, Ford's electric pickup, the Fathom, is moving ahead on its own timeline. Pre-orders open in early 2027, with a starting price of $28,350, and Ford says it's aiming for deliveries later that year at under $30,000.

None of this changes anything about home energy upgrades or rebates. It's simply news that Ford's next affordable vehicle will run on gas or as a hybrid rather than fully electric, even as the company pushes forward with a separate electric pickup. If you're weighing an EV purchase alongside home upgrades like a heat pump or EV charger, this is a reminder that automakers are still mixing electric and gas-powered options in their affordable lineups, so electric choices in this price range remain limited for now.