2025 Ford Ranger PHEV detailed: Plug-in hybrid ute on track for Australia next year
09/16/2024 03:40 AM
The first hybrid Ford Ranger ute has been detailed – with 45km of electric-only range, and a choice of petrol, electric and hybrid drive modes – ahead of Australian arrivals early next year.
Further technical details of the 2025 Ford Ranger PHEV ute have been published – with turbo-petrol plug-in hybrid power – ahead of its Australian showroom arrival in the first half of next year.
The covers came off the plug-in hybrid Ranger late last year, but Ford has now shared additional details – including select power and battery capacity specifications – as it makes its public debut at a commercial-vehicle motor show in Germany.
Prices remain some months away from being confirmed for Australia, though plug-in hybrid vehicles typically command a premium of $10,000 to $15,000 over equivalent non-hybrid versions.
It would place an XLT variant at about $75,000 plus on-road costs – and the top-of-the-range Stormtrak launch edition closer to $90,000 plus on-road costs, almost as expensive as the Ranger Raptor twin-turbo petrol V6.
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If it arrives before April 2025, it would be eligible for a Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) exemption on plug-in hybrid vehicles in novated lease purchases.
The Ranger PHEV is powered by a 2.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine aided by an electric motor and battery pack good for “over 45km” of electric-only driving range based on European WLTP lab testing.
The Ranger’s existing 3500kg braked towing capacity is unchanged, and power is sent to all four wheels through a 10-speed automatic transmission.
Ford has now confirmed the electric motor will develop 75kW, and the battery pack has a capacity of 11.8kWh, but it is yet to publish combined power and torque figures for when the engine is active.
MORE: Extending FBT exemption on plug-in hybrids “critical” to success of Ford Ranger PHEV, BYD Shark
It has previously said the PHEV will have more torque than any other Ranger – currently led by the 600Nm diesel V6 – while without hybrid tech in the related VW Amarok Aventura, the turbo-petrol 2.3-litre engine develops 222kW and 452Nm.
If the petrol engine is not detuned for the PHEV, a theoretical combined total of 297kW would see the hybrid Ranger outgun even a Ranger Raptor (292kW).
The Ranger PHEV can drive on petrol or electric power – or with both power sources working together – while the battery can be used to power external electrical devices such as power tools or camping equipment.
The US car giant is yet to announce how much the Ranger PHEV will weigh, nor how it will affect the ute’s payload, gross vehicle mass (GVM) or gross combination mass (GCM).
It is also yet to confirm the total driving range of the PHEV in hybrid mode.
The plug-in hybrid drivetrain will be available in XLT, Sport and Wildtrak variants, as well as a limited-edition Stormtrak model with unique grey paint, a sliding load-carrying sports bar, and other trim changes.
The PHEV will be produced in South Africa, not Thailand like other Ford Ranger variants for Australia.
As a result, it will attract a 5 per cent import tariff – which will be absorbed into the purchase price – as Australia does not have a Free Trade Agreement with South Africa as it does with Thailand.
MORE: 2025 Ford Ranger plug-in hybrid set to cost more with South African production
The plug-in hybrid system’s electric motor is integrated between the engine and 10-speed automatic transmission in what is known as a ‘modular hybrid transmission’ (MHT).
Ford says the MHT includes a separator clutch which allows torque from the petrol engine to “blend with torque from the e-motor for full hybrid performance and efficiency,” or it can “decouple the two propulsion systems” to let the ute drive solely on petrol or electric power.
Under hard acceleration, the ute’s full power can be sent to all four wheels – rather than restricting the petrol and electric power sources to one axle each.
The company claims the MHT is a “completely integrated component” rather than a “bolt-on”, and it adds 160mm to the transmission’s overall length.
Meanwhile, the battery is placed elsewhere in the vehicle between “specially engineered frame rails”.
New for the PHEV is the Pro Power Onboard system, which allows the high-voltage battery to power external electrical devices at up to 6.9kW through one 2.3kW outlet inside the cabin, and two 3.45kW plugs in the tray.
Four hybrid-specific drive modes are available:
- Auto EV – chooses the optimal mode for performance and/or efficiency, whether it is petrol, hybrid or electric
- EV Now – electric-only driving
- EV Later – keeps a certain level of charge in the battery to enable all-electric driving at a later time
- EV Charge – uses the petrol engine to increase the level of battery charge while driving
When the battery runs low, the Ranger PHEV automatically switches to Auto EV mode, and operates much like a hybrid from Toyota or Hyundai, using energy recuperated under deceleration to charge the battery and provide an electrical boost under acceleration.
Ford has previously cited internal customer data, which shows 48 per cent of Ranger owners travel less than 40km a day – within the PHEV’s electric driving range.
Alongside the hybrid-specific modes, a Sport mode from the Ranger Raptor has been added for the PHEV, sharpening throttle responses and holding lower gears for longer.
Standard is a low-range transfer case, as well as a rear differential lock, and the same range of four-wheel-drive modes as V6 diesel versions, including a 4A (Auto) setting that can safely power all four wheels on sealed roads.
The Ranger PHEV can be distinguished by PHEV badges on the front wheel arches – in place of ‘TURBO’, ‘BI-TURBO’ or ‘V6’ – as well as the charging port on the rear-left wheel arch.
Available for a limited time from launch is the Stormtrak special edition, which is a different proposition from the non-hybrid diesel Stormtrak shown in Thailand last year, where that version is manufactured.
Plug-in hybrid Stormtrak highlights include model-specific black 18-inch wheels, a tweaked front grille and front wheel-arch vents, side body decals, and a choice of Agate Black or unique Chill Grey exterior paint.
It gains matrix LED headlights, a 360-degree camera and Pro Trailer Backup Assist technology as standard, along with a Bang & Olufsen premium sound system, and “unique interior materials”.
Also fitted is the Flexible Rack System, a sliding ‘sailplane’ sports bar which can double as a load rack for long items on the roof.
The 2025 Ford Ranger PHEV is due in Australian showrooms in the first half of next year.
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