Electrified Ranger Teased by Ford Australia, Reveal on 19th September

UPDATE (16th September 2024): Ford has just officially unveiled the Plug-in Hybrid version of the Ranger, click here to read more!

Ford Australia recently stirred excitement among automotive enthusiasts with a captivating teaser on their official Instagram page. Featuring the Ford Ranger PHEV, the post hinted at upcoming advancements with the engaging captions 'Ranger Evolves' and the revealing date '19.09.23'.

Rumours have long suggested that the 2024 Ford Ranger for the Australian market might be moving towards a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) system, paired with a turbocharged petrol engine. This aligns with the ongoing shift in the automotive sector towards embracing hybrid technology as a bridge towards future full-electric models.

While Ford Australia has been discreet about the exact details, it has been previously hinted that both the Ranger and its SUV counterpart, the Ford Everest, are engineered with the potential to adopt hybrid and electric powertrains.

Speculative details on the powertrain suggest the Ranger PHEV might boast a 2.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, likely working in conjunction with one or more electric motors. To provide some context, models with a comparable engine configuration, like the Volkswagen Amarok, have previously delivered outputs of 222kW and 452Nm.

This introduction of the 2.3-litre turbo engine with hybrid capabilities in the Ranger would mark a significant step for Ford. It would also see the reintroduction of a four-cylinder petrol variant in the Ranger lineup after a decade-long hiatus.

Although specifics regarding battery capacity and the electric-only driving range for the Ranger PHEV are still under wraps, there's a growing buzz that the model might find its way into international markets as well.

Production insights suggest a potential shift with the Ranger PHEV possibly being manufactured in South Africa, diverging from the typical Thailand-based production. If this holds true, it might influence import tariffs for the Australian market due to existing trade agreements.

Regarding pricing, the introduction of plug-in hybrid technology typically carries a premium over conventional models. For comparison, hybrid variants in similar segments have historically been priced somewhat higher than their petrol-only peers.

As the automotive community counts down to the 19th of September, there's palpable anticipation for the official reveal and further details on the Ford Ranger PHEV.

Watch our Ranger Wildtrak X review here: