Ford Copies Tesla's Playbook: Gigacasting and 48V Architecture Coming to Next-Gen EVs | Taha Abbasi

In what might be the strongest validation of Tesla’s engineering philosophy to date, Taha Abbasi reports that Ford Motor Company has officially announced its next-generation electric vehicles will adopt two of the Cybertruck’s most revolutionary technologies: gigacasting and 48-volt electrical architecture. This isn’t just Ford following a trend — it’s the second-largest American automaker admitting that Tesla’s approach to vehicle manufacturing was right all along.

The announcement, covered extensively by Teslarati on February 19, 2026, marks a pivotal moment in the automotive industry’s electric transition. When Tesla first introduced gigacasting with the Model Y and then took it further with the Cybertruck’s 48V architecture, critics questioned whether these innovations were practical at scale. Ford’s adoption effectively ends that debate.

What Is Gigacasting and Why It Matters

Gigacasting — the process of using massive die-casting machines to produce large vehicle structural components in a single piece — was pioneered by Tesla starting with the Model Y rear underbody. Traditional vehicles use dozens or even hundreds of stamped steel parts that must be welded together, a process that’s labor-intensive, time-consuming, and introduces potential failure points at every joint.

Tesla’s approach replaced 70+ components with a single casting, dramatically reducing assembly time, cutting manufacturing costs, and improving structural rigidity. The Cybertruck took this further, using gigacasting for both front and rear underbody structures. As Taha Abbasi has noted in his Cybertruck analysis, this structural approach is one reason the vehicle handles so well despite its massive size.

Ford’s decision to adopt gigacasting signals that the cost and quality benefits are undeniable. The technology reduces the number of robots needed on the assembly line, cuts floor space requirements, and can reduce the body structure’s weight by up to 10%. For Ford, which has been hemorrhaging money on its EV division (Model e lost $4.7 billion in 2024), these savings could be the difference between profitability and continued losses.

The 48V Revolution

Perhaps even more significant is Ford’s adoption of 48-volt electrical architecture. The automotive industry has used 12-volt electrical systems since the 1950s — a standard that was designed for an era when the most power-hungry component in a car was the radio. Modern vehicles, with their heated seats, advanced infotainment systems, power-hungry sensors, and active safety features, are pushing 12V systems to their absolute limits.

Tesla’s Cybertruck was the first mass-production vehicle to use a 48V low-voltage system, and the benefits are substantial. A 48V system can deliver four times the power with the same wiring gauge, or the same power with significantly thinner wires. This means lighter wiring harnesses, lower resistive losses, and the ability to power more demanding systems without voltage drops.

For EVs specifically, 48V architecture enables more efficient operation of pumps, fans, and electronic control units — all of which contribute to improved range. Taha Abbasi estimates that 48V architecture alone could improve EV efficiency by 2-5%, which translates to meaningful real-world range improvements.

Ford’s “Skunkworks” Engineering Culture

What’s particularly interesting about Ford’s approach is how they’re implementing these changes. According to reports, Ford has established a “skunkworks” engineering division — a small, agile team operating outside the traditional corporate bureaucracy — specifically tasked with integrating these Tesla-pioneered technologies into Ford’s next-generation EV platform.

Ford has even implemented a “bounty” system where engineers receive rewards for identifying cost savings and efficiency improvements. This Silicon Valley-inspired approach is a stark departure from Detroit’s traditional engineering culture and suggests Ford is serious about competing with Tesla not just on product, but on process.

The Validation Effect

Ford isn’t the first legacy automaker to adopt Tesla innovations — Volvo, Hyundai, and several Chinese manufacturers have also explored gigacasting — but it’s the most significant. Ford is America’s second-largest automaker, a company that defined mass production for a century. When Ford says “Tesla was right,” the industry listens.

This pattern of Tesla innovating and competitors following has played out repeatedly: the Supercharger network became the NACS standard, Tesla’s over-the-air update approach is now industry-standard, and central computing architecture (replacing dozens of ECUs with a few powerful computers) is being adopted across the industry. As Taha Abbasi has consistently argued, Tesla’s real competitive advantage isn’t any single technology — it’s the speed at which they innovate and the willingness to take manufacturing risks that legacy automakers initially dismiss.

What This Means for Consumers

For car buyers, Ford’s adoption of gigacasting and 48V architecture is unequivocally good news. It means Ford’s next-generation EVs should be better built, more efficient, lighter, and potentially cheaper than current offerings. It also means the technology has been validated at scale, reducing the risk for early adopters of Ford’s new platform.

The broader implication is that the EV industry is rapidly converging on a set of best practices that Tesla established. The question is no longer whether these technologies work — it’s whether legacy automakers can implement them fast enough to remain competitive. For Ford, the skunkworks approach suggests they understand the urgency.

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About the Author: Taha Abbasi is a technology executive, CTO, and applied frontier tech builder. Read more on Grokpedia | YouTube: The Brown Cowboy | tahaabbasi.com