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Ford CEO Jim Farley said the motors, gearbox and inverters in Ford’s new Universal Electric Vehicle platform are about 30% more efficient than BYD’s. Ford says that efficiency allows it to use a smaller battery and lower costs for the Fathom pickup, but it has not disclosed the battery size or identified the BYD powertrain used for comparison.
Ford CEO Jim Farley said on the company’s third-quarter earnings call that the motors, gearbox and inverters in Ford’s new Universal Electric Vehicle platform are about 30% more efficient than BYD’s. Ford says the claimed efficiency gain lets it use a smaller battery in the upcoming Fathom pickup, a move aimed at reducing costs for a truck priced at $28,350.
Farley described the drivetrain components as an area where Ford had found an advantage over BYD. He said greater efficiency allows Ford to design a battery that is “much less,” referring to its size and cost. The company has presented the UEV platform as a more affordable foundation for electric vehicles, with fewer parts and changes to its manufacturing process.
Ford has not announced the Fathom’s battery capacity. Earlier reports cited by InsideEVs estimated a pack in the 50-to-60-kilowatt-hour range, but that figure remains an estimate, not a confirmed specification. The report says Ford will need to make effective use of its efficiency gains to deliver more than 200 miles of range from a relatively small battery; Ford has not confirmed that range figure in the supplied material.
The comparison itself also lacks key detail: Farley did not specify which BYD vehicle or powertrain he was measuring against, nor did the account provide a test method or conditions. His 30% figure is therefore a claim by Ford’s CEO, rather than a verified, like-for-like result in the material provided.
Efficiency Could Lower Fathom Costs
The claim matters because batteries are described in the source report as the largest single cost in an electric vehicle. If Ford can achieve the stated efficiency while meeting its range and performance goals, it may be able to install a smaller pack and reduce material costs. That could help Ford sell the Fathom at a lower price than its earlier, larger electric models.
The result is not established by the percentage alone. A smaller battery can reduce cost, but buyers will also weigh usable range, charging, performance and price. Without disclosed specifications or independent testing, it remains uncertain how much the claimed drivetrain efficiency will affect the truck’s real-world range or total cost.
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Ford’s Push for Lower-Cost EVs
Ford has framed its Universal Electric Vehicle platform as a way to compete with lower-cost Chinese vehicles on both price and technology. The Fathom pickup is set to be the platform’s first model, with a stated starting price of $28,350. Ford’s pitch rests on a combination of fewer parts, improved efficiency and a revamped manufacturing approach, rather than on the efficiency claim alone.
BYD is a prominent comparison for Ford because it has grown into a major global automaker, supported in part by extensive control over its supply chain. The source report says BYD surpassed Ford in global sales last year. Ford has also discussed learning from its partnership with Geely in Europe, including ways to reduce vehicle costs and shorten development timelines. The company says improvements made for the UEV platform could also benefit its hybrids; Ford COO Kumar Galhotra said those vehicles could use efficiency gains developed for the platform.
““There’s another area that we really found to be quite advantaged relative to a BYD. And that is the efficiency of our motors, gearbox and inverters, which are about 30% more efficient than theirs and allows us to design a battery that’s much less.””
— Jim Farley, Ford CEO, on the third-quarter earnings call
Key Comparison Details Remain Missing
Ford has not provided the Fathom’s battery capacity in the supplied report, and the 50-to-60-kWh estimate comes from earlier reporting rather than a confirmed company specification. It is also not clear what range Ford will officially claim or how the vehicle will perform in independent, real-world tests.
The 30% comparison needs further detail to be evaluated: Ford has not identified the BYD model or powertrain, explained which efficiency measure it used, or supplied testing conditions and results in the source material. The claim should not be taken as a direct comparison across complete vehicles or as proof that the Fathom will be cheaper to own.
Watch for Fathom Specifications
The next useful details will be Ford’s confirmed battery size, official range and other Fathom specifications, along with information about how the company calculated the efficiency comparison. Those disclosures would help show whether the claimed drivetrain advantage translates into a smaller pack and a competitive price in production.
Ford also says UEV engineering gains may reach its hybrid vehicles, but the company has not provided specific models, timing or quantified savings in the supplied account. Until Ford releases more detail or independent comparisons become available, the 30% figure remains an attributed company claim.
Key Questions
What did Ford say is 30% more efficient than BYD’s?
CEO Jim Farley said the motors, gearbox and inverters in Ford’s UEV platform are about 30% more efficient than BYD’s. The source report does not identify the BYD vehicle or powertrain used for comparison.
How could the claimed efficiency help the Ford Fathom?
Ford says the efficiency gain allows it to design the Fathom with a smaller battery, which may reduce costs. Ford has not confirmed the battery size or established the claim through independent testing in the supplied material.
How large is the Fathom’s battery?
Ford has not announced the battery capacity in the source report. Earlier reports estimated 50 to 60 kilowatt-hours, but that remains an estimate.
Has Ford explained how it calculated the 30% figure?
The supplied report does not give a test method, conditions or the specific BYD powertrain used. The figure is attributed to Farley’s statement on Ford’s earnings call.
Source: insideevs.com
