Update: ‘Technical changes’ and ‘U.S. Release Date’ sections updated.
While the F-150 has gone all-electric with the Ford F-150 Lightning, Ford’s next step in the electrification process for the Ford Ranger will be a hybrid, which could also go on sale within two years. The lineup will also include a Ford Ranger Electric to complete the options.
The Ranger Hybrid would go to markets worldwide where emission norms are tightening, or the EV charging infrastructure is nascent. Take a look at what lies ahead for Ford’s mid-size pickup truck.
Design
Unveiled in late 2021, the new-generation Ford Ranger looks as impressive as the new F-150. It sports large matrix LED headlights with ‘C-clamp’ daytime running lights, just like its American cousin. A taller and broader radiator grille emphasizes the pickup’s width and adds aggression. Like the F-150, the radiator grille features a two-bar portion in the center, cutting into the headlights. However, the Australian-designed one-tonne ute doesn’t have active grille shutters like the all-American full-size pickup. The all-new model features muscles on the hood for an imposing appearance.
The side profile is similar to the outgoing Ranger but not identical. Sophisticated, concave surfacing on the door panels and a subtle shoulder line down the sides bring the truck’s design freshness. Moving to the rear, like the headlights, the taillights are available in a choice of halogen and LED units, and they feature the signature graphics on the front. Thousands of existing Ranger owners worldwide influenced the design of the next-gen Ranger.
Interior
The interior design of the T6.2 Ford Ranger has become contemporary and more car-like. The dashboard still has a familiar truck-like appearance, but the AC vents, steering wheel, and center console have slimmed down. Reduced switchgear and other physical controls, a 12-inch SYNC 4 portrait touchscreen infotainment, and a fully digital instrument cluster give the interior a cleaner and more sophisticated styling.
Ford says that the new-generation Ranger is the smartest Ranger ever, and with SYNC 4 available, we wouldn’t argue that statement. Remote Start, Vehicle Status, and remote lock and unlock functions are available on a mobile app, and Ford Power-Up wireless software updates should allow expanding the list of connected vehicle features conveniently in the future. Tech highlights include a 360-degree camera and a Qi wireless phone charger.
Technical changes
The all-new Ranger is the toughest and most capable Ranger Ford has ever made. The company has brought extensive technical changes that improve its performance, ride and handling, strength, and efficiency.
An upgraded chassis lies beneath the new bodywork. The wheelbase and track width have been increased by about two inches for more bed space and improved stability. The longer wheelbase also means improved space for the occupants. As for the wider track, Anthony Hall, Ranger vehicle engineering manager, says that it makes a huge difference, especially in the cargo box. For some basic items, such as a sheet of building plywood or a full-size, it will be possible to load them flat.
Video Source: YouTube/Ford Motor Company
The engineers have improved ground clearance and approach and departure angles for improved off-road articulation. They moved the rear suspension dampers outboard of the frame rails for an improved ride. Customers can choose from two 4WD systems – an electronic shift-on-the-fly system or a more off-road-focused full-time four-wheel drive system (Raptor-exclusive). Dual recovery hooks in the front bumper now make off-road recovery easier.
Ford says that a hydro-formed front-end structure frees up space in the engine bay and helps future-proof the Ranger for other propulsion technologies. This way, it hints that it has developed the new-generation Ranger keeping alternative powertrains in mind.
| Dimension | Measurement |
| Length | 210.6 in. |
| Width | 75.5 in. |
| Height | 73.9 in. (2WD)/74.4 in. (4WD) |
| Wheelbase | 128.7 in. |
| Cargo Bed Length | 59.6 in. |
| Cargo Bed Width | 62.4 in. |
| Cargo Bed Lift in Height | 34.0 in. (2WD)/34.7 in. (4WD) |
On the Ford Ranger Hybrid
Ford hasn’t formally confirmed an electrified variant for the new Ranger, but the project looks to be nearing completion. On June 2, 2023, Drive reported that Ford plans to launch a Ranger plug-in hybrid in Australia in 2024. As for the official reveal, there have been indications in the past that the debut will happen by the end of 2023.
Drive claims the Ford Ranger plug-in hybrid will employ a 2.3-liter turbocharged gas engine assisted by one more electric drive units. It’s talking about the EcoBoost engine, which, without electrical assistance, produces 270 horsepower and 310 lb.-ft. of torque. The Australian publication claims Ford will sell the Ranger plug-in hybrid in the U.S. as well.
Like in the gas version, the 2.3-liter engine in the Ranger PHEV should be linked to a 10-speed automatic transmission. The total power and total torque expected with electrical assistance are 270 kW (362 hp) and 502 lb.-ft (680 Nm), respectively. This is an all-new plug-in hybrid system that hasn’t been featured on a Ford vehicle and will be quite different from the 3.0-liter and 2.5-liter PHEV systems on the Explorer and Escape SUVs
Ali Jammoul, Ford’s program director for icons and Ford Performance, told Wheels on April 7, 2022, that electrification would play a major role for the next-generation Ranger. Jammoul said every vehicle has compromises; an electrified Ranger would be heavier because of the battery. He added that using lightweight materials elsewhere could offset batteries’ weight penalty.
Lars Krause, the BoM responsible for marketing at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles (VWN), had indirectly confirmed a plug-in hybrid system for the Ranger is under development. “We’re not satisfied with the electric range of the (Ranger’s) plug-in hybrid (system),” Krause told media during the next-gen Amarok presentation in April 2022, as per a Drive report dated April 26, 2022.
Future-proof platform
During an Australian media roundtable in 2021, an engineer behind the development of the all-new Ranger confirmed that the upgraded platform allows electrification. The new, redesigned chassis had helped “future-proof” the Ford Ranger for other propulsion technologies.
The new Ford Ranger’s chief engineer, Ian Foston, also spoke to Drive during a media briefing. He said that they had gathered two big driving factors for electrification. The first is interest from customers who have used EVs before and are asking about the technology in Ford pickup trucks. Secondly, new legislation has been brought in for a number of markets that require it.
In 2021, Hans Schep, General Manager, Ford Pro (Europe), discussed a rechargeable Ranger. He said that the company plans to release a Ranger plug-in hybrid before 2025, as per the report Automotive News Europe published in June 2021.
U.S. Release Date
As we stated in the previous section, Drive claims the Ford Ranger plug-in hybrid is coming to the U.S. Ford hasn’t confirmed the speculation or made any relevant announcement, but if the rumor is true, it could launch the Ranger PHEV in its home market in 2025.
According to a document that Ranger6G.com forum user josh82 shared on March 4, 2023, Ford plans to start manufacturing the new-generation Ranger (gas truck) at the Michigan Assembly Plant on August 7, 2023. Prices of the gas model start at USD 32,565 (excl. USD 1,595 destination fee).
On August 28, 2022, Automotive News published a report detailing Ford’s future product plans for the U.S., and said that the company is expected to introduce a Ford Ranger Hybrid in 2025. Perhaps buoyed by the demand for the Maverick Hybrid, Ford is considering partial electrification for the Ranger program in the American market.
On the Ford Ranger Electric
We’ve gotten many indications already that a Ford Ranger Electric is coming. According to a report Autohome released on November 10, 2022, Ford indeed has a Ranger Electric in the pipeline. The report shows a presentation in which one of the slides is about the increasing potential of new energy pickup trucks in China. This unofficial presentation mentions a JMC-built Ranger Electric (“江铃-Ranger纯电”) among the upcoming models in the category.
Jiangling Motor Corporation (JMC) is one of Ford’s joint venture partners in China. At Auto Shanghai 2023, the new-generation Ranger celebrated its Chinese debut. During the event, Ford announced that China will get the all-new pickup as a locally manufactured model.
On February 17, 2021, Ford announced that all commercial vehicles in Europe would be zero-emissions capable – all-electric or plug-in hybrid – by 2024. The company expects two-thirds of commercial vehicle sales in the region to come from PHEVs and EVs by 2030. Given that the Ranger is Europe’s best-selling pickup truck, a pure electric powertrain (besides hybrid) should be a priority for the model. In 2020, the Ranger enjoyed a record 34.9% share in Europe’s pickup truck segment, and by the end of 2021, that had increased to 38.1%.
On May 26, 2021, Ford’s announcements at the “Delivering Ford+” themed 2021 Capital Markets Day may have uncovered the first detail of a Ford Ranger EV. The company revealed that it plans to introduce BEVs with RWD/AWD drivetrain layout on a new dedicated BEV platform. Hau Thai-Tang, Chief Product Platform and Operations Officer, Ford, confirmed that the platform would spawn a mid-size electric pickup truck. Ford markets the Ranger as its mid-size pickup truck in the United States.
Our new rear-wheel drive/all-wheel drive BEV flexible architecture will underpin a range of emotive vehicles slated for production between now and 2030, including active lifestyle vehicles with great driving dynamics, cargo vehicles for those whole value space and versatility for their commercial needs, pickups delivering legendary Built Ford Tough capability on mid-size trucks, rugged SUVs for our adventure-seeking customers, and high-margin, high-demand larger two- and three-row SUVs for families around the world, like Explorer, and Lincoln Aviator.
Hau Thai-Tang, Chief Product Platform and Operations Officer, Ford (Delivering Ford+/Capital Markets Day 2021)
In related developments, on July 11, 2022, Ford submitted a trademark application for a ‘Ranger Lightning’ name at the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO). The company also applied for a ‘Maverick Lightning’ trademark at the EUIPO the same day.
Ford Ranger Electric design
Ford may have started the groundwork for the Ranger EV, but it will likely take a couple of years before the company shows a prototype to the media. In the meantime, we have presented our imagination of a Ranger electric in an exclusive rendering (below).
Inspired by the 14th-gen F-150 Lightning, we envision the Ford Ranger Electric with a slightly high-tech appearance at the front. The C-shaped LED DRLs are linked with an F-150 Lightning-style light strip above the upper grille. A closed radiator grille supports drag reduction and improves efficiency, and so does a specially designed bumper. A charge port above the front wheel arch and the alloy wheels featuring a special, aerodynamic design complete the look.
Ford Ranger Electric Production
For global demand, the Blue Oval should keep production plans simple. “Thailand is going to be a hub for manufacturing zero-emission vehicles,” Ford CFO John Lawler told journalists at the 2022 Detroit Auto Show (September 14-25, 2022), as per a Drive report dated September 15, 2022. The Ranger and Everest are the Blue Oval’s most successful vehicles in Thailand.
Ford’s joint-venture Auto Alliance Thailand (AAT) truck plant or its wholly-owned Ford Thailand Manufacturing (FTM) plant is likely to build the first-generation Ranger Electric. Located in Rayong, both Thai factories are responsible for the gas- and diesel-powered new-generation Ranger. If and when the company launches the Ranger Electric in the U.S., it may have to manufacture the units intended for the domestic market within North America to qualify for subsidies and price it competitively.
Release date & first markets
On March 14, 2022, Ford announced that it plans to introduce four new electric commercial vehicles in Europe by 2024. The company unveiled the E-Transit Custom in May 2022 and then the E-Transit Courier and F-150 Lightning in April 2023. Could the last piece of the puzzle be the Ford Ranger Electric?
It is likely that Norway and Germany will be the first markets to receive the Ford Ranger Electric. Germany, Ford’s home in Europe, sees a large demand for electric vehicles. Norway is one of Europe’s biggest EV markets, which is why it is the first country in the continent—and even outside of North America—to receive the F-150 Lightning. According to Ford, 21% of the 2.9 million vehicles on the roads are electric vehicles. In 2022, more than 20% of commercial vehicles sold were electric, and in 2023, this figure is expected to grow to 40%!
Ranger gas & diesel models will run alongside the BEV & Hybrid
James Farley Jr., President & CEO of Ford, told The Verge Editor-in-Chief Nilay Patel on a Decoder podcast in 2021 that Ford is a leader in markets like South Africa, Australia, and Europe with the Ranger. Ranger customers in some regions do 700-800 mile journeys. The technology (and the charging infrastructure in these societies) needs to evolve to deliver an extended EV range without compromising the Ford Ranger’s affordability, capability, or usability. Hence, the combustion model will continue alongside the electrified Ranger versions for the foreseeable future.
TopElectricSUV says
The Ford Ranger is already well received in the Eastern part of the world, and with hybrid and electric powertrains, it could win over western markets as well. In the U.S., specifically, the Ranger Hybrid and Ranger Electric could be attractive low-cost alternatives to the F-150 PowerBoost and F-150 Lightning, respectively. If done right, they could entice customers who don’t need F-150 levels of space and capability.
Ford Ranger Hybrid FAQs
What is the Ford Ranger Hybrid release date?
The U.S. launch of the next-gen Ranger (Gas) will reportedly take place in July 2023. A hybrid variant could join the line-up in 2025.
Which trucks would rival the Ford Ranger Hybrid?
The Ranger Hybrid will rival the Chevrolet Colorado, Toyota Tacoma, and Nissan Frontier in price.
What will be the price of the Ford Ranger Hybrid?
If it gets the go-ahead, the Ranger Hybrid is expected to cost around USD 30,000.
Featured Image Source: Ford
A Mechanical Engineer by qualification, I started out as an automotive editor of a regional magazine in 2011. In my 11 years of experience in creating automotive content, I’ve traveled around the world to review, analyze and report on the world’s top electrified cars.
