Ford's upcoming budget electric pickup truck will incorporate Apple Maps into its factory navigation setup.

Slated for production in 2027, the new ute - expected to bring back the Ranchero name - will rank among the initial vehicles with Apple Maps integrated from the factory. All models on the Universal Electric Vehicle platform will include this mapping service.

Ford indicates UEV vehicles will rely on Apple Maps for step-by-step routing, live traffic and hazard updates, place searches, and EV-specific paths that cover battery warm-up.

The brand is also drawing on detailed road data from Apple Maps to advance its BlueCruise hands-free highway driving system in North America, handled by the LatitudeAI group. This feature is planned as an option for the electric ute starting in 2028.

It remains to be seen whether additional automakers will follow suit and bring Apple Maps into their own navigation offerings.

Many makers rely on the Android Automotive platform for infotainment, often pairing it with Google Maps and access to extra apps via the Google Play Store.

The new Ranchero, or its eventual name, may appear later this year. Priced from around US$30,000 (A$43,000), it aims to rank among the lower-cost options in Ford's US lineup.

Currently the Blue Oval's American range starts with the Maverick hybrid dual-cab at US$28,145 (A$40,200).

A test version of the ute was seen in California during June, showing a mostly conventional pickup layout aside from its sharply angled windscreen.

This ute marks the debut model on the UEV platform developed by a dedicated team.

Advanced methods such as gigacasting, along with lithium iron phosphate batteries and efficient electric motors, are expected to lower costs and allow competition with petrol models.

Ford plans further vehicles on the Universal EV platform, covering two- and three-row SUVs, compact and midsize sedans, plus a van. Timing for these additional models is not yet confirmed.