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When Ford debuted the Maverick pickup truck way back in the 2022 model year, it had a starting price — for the hybrid base trim — of $21,490, including destination. To call that a bargain at the time would have been a massive understatement. It was a nice little vehicle that was practical, inexpensive to own and operate, and, while cheap inside, it didn’t feel like you were being overly punished for buying the base model (except for cruise control, which was quickly added to the base trim).
Now, a base hybrid Ford Maverick has a starting price of $29,990 with destination. That’s nearly a 40% increase in base price for a nearly identical vehicle. If you take that 2022 starting price and adjust for inflation, it’s still $5,381 more expensive.
That, dear readers, is a problem that Ford can’t repeat with its upcoming truck.
Slate has a starting price of $24,950 for its base two-door pickup. Now that’s before any unknown destination and delivery charges, which the company hasn’t announced yet. Let’s assume that it’s $2,000, which is an insane amount for delivery, but a cost automakers have kept driving up because it’s extra profit for them and something that can’t be negotiated at the dealership.
Ford has said its upcoming truck on its Universal Electric Vehicle Platform would start at “around $30,000.” If we also throw in the same ridiculous delivery charge, that’s a $32,000 truck compared to a $27,000 truck.
For some people, that $5,000 price difference likely seems like no big deal. On a 60-month loan, that’s only about another $100 per month. But that’s also nearly 20% more expensive overall, which is not an insignificant difference for someone looking at a $25,000 vehicle to begin with.
There's More Art in a Swiss Warehouse Than in the Louvre. Here's Why That Matters.
1.2 million works worth around $100 billion. All locked away by collectors with no intention of exhibiting them. More art sits in the Geneva Freeport than in the Louvre.
The reason? It's the world's largest tax-free vault. Works are traded inside without ever crossing a border or appearing in any public record.
When that much inventory is effectively off the table, anytime something does circulate, it’s a rare occasion.
Just a three hour drive away, the world’s premier international art fair is one of those occasions. Art Basel is this month and needless to say, things will move fast. Serious collectors will make their transactions before doors even open to the wider public.
Masterworks' acquisition committee — former specialists from Sotheby's and Christie's — operate in that window. Purchased artworks here can even become the offerings that Masterworks members fractionally invest in.
Their track record to-date?
$1.3B deployed across 530+ artworks featuring Banksy, Basquiat, Picasso, and Warhol
29 sales to date
Net annualized returns like 16.5%, 17.6%, and 17.8%, not including those unsold*
Investing involves risk. Past performance is not indicative of future returns. See important Reg A disclosures at masterworks.com/cd.
It might make sense for a buyer to pay more for a vehicle with a well-established service network. It might also make sense for that buyer to pay more for a vehicle to come with power windows and paint. The Ford, whatever it ends up being called, will be a nicer overall experience than the Slate.
But pricing will matter both at launch and after the fact. Lower-income buyers are less likely to own their own home, which means they are less likely to have dedicated home charging (and have to rely on workplace, which can be fine, or DCFC, which is not). If the price of the Ford electric pickup truck is too close to a comparable — or better equipped — Maverick hybrid, it’s safe to assume the majority of people would go for the Maverick.
This would all be a moot point, and Slate likely wouldn’t have a chance at all, if the Maverick retained its aggressive price for the hybrid that it launched with.
💡Do you have information about Ford’s small truck? I would love to hear from you. Using a non-work device, you can message me on Signal at chadkirchner.1701, or with another secure communication method.
For both companies, though, if they truly want to address the affordability problem, they need to make sure they aren’t launching at a low price to get headlines and then raising the price after the fact, when fewer people are watching.
When we’re talking about a home’s second or third vehicle, these considerations matter far less. Maybe that’s where these vehicles will end up almost exclusively? Maybe the only market for these is people who already have a car in their garage? That could very well be who ends up buying them, because that’s who they make the most sense for.
That being said, Ford has an opportunity here to stop an up-and-coming competitor in its tracks. How aggressive will Ford be? We’ll find out soon enough.