Ford Ranger hybrid firms for September 19 reveal

Ford Australia has posted a social media teaser previewing a major announcement for its top-selling model and the nation’s most popular dual-cab 4x4 ute, the Ford Ranger, with all the details set to be revealed next Tuesday (September 19).

Taking to X – formerly Twitter – late yesterday, the Blue Oval’s local division released a 10-second video showcasing a number of different landscapes along with a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it snippet of a Ranger towing in North America, before a ‘Ranger Evolves’ graphic is shown.

A well-timed hit of the pause button and some hard squinting reveals no obvious changes to the tow vehicle’s exterior, which leads us to think the changes lay under the bonnet.

Automotive electrification is going bananas at the moment, both in terms of technology and sales, and so we wouldn’t be surprised if the long-discussed Ranger hybrid is about to be revealed in some form or another.

The caption accompanying the video says “the best of both worlds is coming” alongside a matching ‘BestofBothWorlds’ hashtag, which adds weight to speculation the Ranger will become available with a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) system – technology that blends the best elements of internal combustion and battery-electric hardware into one powertrain package.

While Toyota is famous for its (plugless) series hybrid technology, Mitsubishi has long championed PHEV tech as a ‘stepping stone’ for consumers in the transition from internal combustion to battery-electric power. Mercedes-Benz in particular has proven the immense torque outputs that PHEV systems are capable of, as evidenced by the 1020Nm Mercedes-AMG C 63 S E Performance super-sedan.

The emergence of a plug-in hybrid powertrain for the Ranger would also fit with the video’s main graphic – ‘Ranger Evolves’ – since PHEVs have long been deemed by many, including authorities, as zero-emission vehicles due to their ability to operate solely on electric power day-to-day, creating a nice little parallel between electric vehicles (EVs) and the term ‘evolve’…

Given it will be global model, the Ranger hybrid will likely come with a petrol-electric powertrain, but the only PHEV system currently offered in the Ford world is fitted to the Escape, which is now discontinued in Australia.

The front-wheel drive Escape PHEV combines an Atkinson-cycle 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with an electric motor powered by a 14.4kWh lithium-ion battery and CVT auto to produce a combined power output 167kW, fuel consumption of just 1.5L/100km and a 56km electric driving range.

But that output and configuration simply won’t cut it for a big, heavy ladder frame ute like the Ranger, so Ford likely has a beefier PHEV is store for what will almost certainly Australia’s first hybrid ute, depending on when it becomes available here.

Toyota will introduce 48-volt mild-hybrid technology in selected HiLux variants next year and, although it has promised a full-hybrid HiLux this decade, Toyota has ruled that out for the current generation that’s due to be replaced around 2025.

Meantime, despite its PHEV focus, Mitsubishi has indicated it will introduce a series hybrid (and eventually EV) powertrain for its new Triton, which arrives here next February and will form the basis of the next-generation Nissan Navara.

The Isuzu D-MAX, which is twinned with the Mazda BT-50, is also expected to offer hybrid power in future and will even be available with a battery-electric powertrain in Norway from 2025.

So at this stage only the upcoming BYD ute looks like a possibility to beat the Ranger to market with fleet-friendly hybrid power. It’s due on sale Down Under next year with an innovative DM-I (dual-mode) electrified powertrain based around a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine, and will be followed by a pure EV option in 2025.

Of course, LDV was the first brand to release a fully-electric ute in Australia last year with its expensive and rear-drive-only eT60, which will be replaced by an all-new dual-cab ute with an Aussie-first first 4x4 electric powertrain, offering a 600km range.

The 2025 Kia Tasman ute is expected to bring pure EV power a year later in 2026, Toyota could join the electric ute party as soon as 2024 and the upcoming 2024 JAC T9 Hunter electric dual-cab could be joined by a bigger pick-up with both PHEV and EV power by 2025.

Other electrified ute possibilities include EV and PHEV versions of the GWM Ute, the battery-electric Geely Radar RD6, at least two plug-in utes from Chery and a hydrogen fuel-cell (FCEV) version of the upcoming INEOS Grenadier Quartermaster dual-cab.

None of North America’s full-size electric pick-ups– including the Ford F-150 Lightning, Chevrolet Silverado EV, GMC Hummer EV and RAM 1500 REV – have so far been officially locked in for Australian release, but a number of aftermarket EV and even FCEV ute options already exist for Aussie fleet companies.

The new-generation Ford Ranger’s Australian-engineered T6 platform – which also underpins the new Volkswagen Amarok – is package-protected for mild-hybrid, series hybrid, plug-in hybrid and battery-electric powertrains, but VW engineers have told carsales the Amarok could offer a Ford-sourced PHEV option by 2025.

Ford has released no other information or previews about its Ranger surprise at this stage, but we’ll be sure to bring you the latest as soon as we know on Tuesday.

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