The Ford Ranger PHEV is real and it probably won’t be sold here.
The latest Ford Ranger generation marks a significant step up for the nameplate. By going back to the drawing board, Ford engineers have been able to pull off a pick-up truck that’s still as rugged and capable as ever, but now features some high-tech systems and potential for electrification. The long-rumoured hybrid version of the pick-up was probably not taken seriously by most but now has indeed materialised in the form of the Ford Ranger Plug-in Hybrid.
What use is there of a plug-in hybrid Ranger? Well, there definitely is a market for it – Europe specifically. Battery electric pick-ups are still something of a novelty. They’re just not as viable for commercial and agricultural use as their fuel-burning counterparts. That being said, there is significant pressure from regulators to bring emissions down in Europe. The Ford Ranger is currently the best selling pick-up in the continent, hence a plug-in hybrid version works perfect here.
Mechanically, the Ford Ranger Plug-in Hybrid is actually pretty unique as Rangers go. In Malaysia, we get the Ranger with variants of the 2.0L turbo diesel 4-cylinder or a 3.0L V6 turbocharged petrol motor on the Raptor. This PHEV powertrain uses neither of these engines. Instead, they’ve taken the 2.3L EcoBoost petrol engine and paired that up to an electric motor and a rechargeable battery system.
A petrol hybrid makes a lot of sense as you still get a refined and quiet drive while still benefiting from the high torque of an electric motor and overall lower fuel consumption too. When fully-charged, it can be driven on pure electric power for 45km and can be driven in Europe’s growing number of low emissions zones. Plus, the vehicle’s on board battery can serve as a portable ‘power bank’ with the Pro Power Onboard system. You can plug high-draw power tools and camping equipment without worrying about range and without compromising on cargo space, as there’s no need to bring a generator along.
Ranger Plug-In Hybrid still has four-wheel drive off-road capability, selectable drive modes and advanced driver safety, driver assist features and the same 3,500kg maximum braked towing capacity as the rest of the Ranger line-up.
Ford says that this version of the Ranger will go into production late next year and customers can expect it by early 2025. European customers of this model will benefit from the Ford Pro ecosystem, which has a bunch of software and services related to electrification built-in.
