The Ranger Plug-in Hybrid will pair a 2.3-litre petrol engine with a motor that will be capable of a fully electric range of 28 miles. This will be Ford’s first non-diesel Ranger, but it claims that the PHEV will be able to match its existing models in several areas that are crucial to pick-up buyers.
Towing and payload levels met
Payload and towing ability are two crucial factors in the pick-up market, and Ford says that the plug-in Ranger will be able to match its diesel counterparts on this front. It stopped short of naming figures, but it told CAR that: ‘There will definitely be variants of the PHEV that meet the 1.0-tonne payload – we have engineered the vehicle to meet that.’
The 1.0-tonne payload barrier means that the Ranger Plug-in Hybrid can be classified as a commercial vehicle, which means that buyers will be able to take advantage of tax benefits in the UK, such as being able to reclaim the VAT. This is something that the performance Ford Ranger Raptor is unable to do.
Ford has also said that the plug-in Ranger will be able to offer the same 3.5-tonne towing ability as the diesel model. In fact, it says that the low-down abilities of the electric motor means that it will have more torque than any other Ranger pick-up.
It also says that it will offer better driveability and be more refined to boot – no more clattery starts that rouse the neighbours at 6am…
How else has the Ford Ranger PHEV been adapted?
Ford might well have had ‘make a Ranger Plug-in Hybrid’ on the to-do list right from the start while developing the new pick-up, but it has still had to make some amendments to the diesel version. The rear frame has been upgraded to take the heavier electric gear, while it has heavy-duty suspension, tuned steering and a recalibrated combustion engine.
About that engine – Ford has chosen to put a 2.3-litre version of the Ecoboost engine in rather than the 2.5-litre version that will sit in the next Ford Transit Custom PHEV. That’s because that hybrid setup isn’t as geared towards towing, apparently.
The other crucial addition is the three 10A external power sockets. There is one in the cabin and two in the loading bay (below), and they are capable of powering tools out on site, turning the Ranger into a sort-of mobile generator.
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