The Ford Ranger is set to go electric, starting with a plug-in hybrid EV version in early 2025.
Ford this week confirmed one of its worst kept secrets: that the country’s top selling four-wheel drive and second best selling ute will soon get electric assistance within 18 months.
Ford is in the final stages of developing the PHEV system, which will pair a 2.3-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with an electric motor and a battery pack.
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The company says it will produce more torque than any other Ranger variant, which means something north of 600Nm.
EV only range is claimed to be upwards of 45km, allowing around half of all Ranger buyers to drive it solely on electricity for their daily driving.
Of course, the big appeal with a PHEV is also having access to traditional refuelling networks, something that will allow the hybrid to match the diesel-powered utes for driving flexibility, towing and reaching remote locations.
Crucially, Ford is promising the upcoming Ranger PHEV won’t compromise on all the things people love doing with utes, including towing, hauling heavy loads and heading off-road.
“The Ranger Plug-in Hybrid is a best-of-both-worlds solution for work, play, and family – offering customers zero-tailpipe emissions EV driving for short trips, or hybrid performance that delivers incredible on- and off-road performance,” said Andrew Birkic, president and CEO of Ford Australia and New Zealand.
In honing in on an externally rechargeable petrol-electric solution Ford says it evaluated all low- and zero-emissions technologies – including regular hybrid tech and battery electric vehicle (BEV) – but that PHEV was the one that worked best for the Ranger ute in today’s increasingly electrified environment.
“Ranger Plug-In Hybrid will bring all of the towing and payload capability our Australian customers expect of Ranger, and with Pro Power Onboard for the first time, Ranger owners will have power for both work and play,” says Birkic.
While Ford confirmed it will start production of the Ranger PHEV for late 2024 – ahead of early 2025 customer deliveries – there are still plenty of questions surrounding the new arrival.
The most obvious is how much it will cost, something Ford says will be announced closer to its 2025 delivery date.
Clearly it will carry a price premium, although exactly how much that premium will be remains to be seen.
Either way, Ford sees the Ranger PHEV as a vehicle that could boost the company’s overall ute sales and appeal to increasingly environmentally focused fleet buyers.
“We will be going after a volume that ensures we get a return on investment,” said Andrew Birkic, president and CEO of Ford Australia and New Zealand.
