When Ford introduced the Maverick compact pickup in 2021, it was an instant hit. The small truck's combination of a sub-$20,000 starting price, standard hybrid powertrain, and practical utility tapped into a huge untapped market.

Ford's $30,000 EV will ride on the Maverick's success, China's major success is SDVs and GM's Cruise is back (kind of).

Generally, if a manufacturer comes out with a segment-busting new model that sells like gangbusters, their rivals usually sit up and take notice. A while back the internet whipped itself into a frenzy over the ‘twenty thousand dollar’ Slate pickup truck,