What you need to know about the 2025 Ford Ranger hybrid: New plug-in Toyota HiLux, BYD Shark and GWM Cannon Alpha rival to be detailed next week

Promised to the world almost a year ago to this day, Ford will finally take the wraps off its Ranger plug-in hybrid (PHEV) ute next week. 

The reveal will occur at the Hannover International Auto Exhibition (IAA) and the Ranger PHEV’s success will be crucial for Ford Australia to avoid hefty fines under the incoming New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES). 

Ford has not revealed many details of the Ranger PHEV yet but we do know a little bit about the electrified ute, so let’s recap what to expect. 

For the powertrain, it is a new plug-in system that combines an ‘EcoBoost’ 2.3-litre turbo-petrol, four-cylinder with electric boost. The engine alone produces 222kW and 452Nm in versions of the related Volkswagen Amarok. It is also found in the Mustang EcoBoost.

Ford of Europe claims the Ranger plug-in hybrid will be a segment first, though BYD’s Shark and GWM’s Cannon Alpha PHEV might disagree. 

It also claims the PHEV will produce more torque than any other Ranger powertrain, meaning more than the 600Nm turbo-diesel V6 and the Raptor’s 583Nm twin-turbo petrol V6. 

For reference, the BYD Shark ute’s torque output is rated at 650Nm, while the Cannon Alpha PHEV boasts a stout 750Nm number. 

The brand also says the Ranger PHEV will not be compromised when it comes to key metrics, such as off-road performance, payload and towing capability.

That hints the Ranger will maintain a true four-wheel drive system, likely with low-range capability (a totally different configuration to Transit Custom and Escape PHEVs), along with a payload around 1000kg and braked towing capacity of 3500kg — all the segment must-haves for a strong performing ute. 

Pure-electric range is forecast to be around 45km, so a 14-18kWh battery pack is likely. Again, that’s a long way shy of GWM’s 110km claim from a battery twice that size, yet Ford claims most daily Ranger journeys are less than 40km. 

Combined with the petrol engine, around 600km driving range should be achievable. Rated fuel economy will need to be down around 2.0L/100km for the PHEV to make a dent in Ford’s local emissions figures. 

There will be three hybrid modes, the self-explanatory ‘Automatic’, ‘Later’ for saving battery power for when you need it and ‘Now’ mode which is electric-only driving. 

Ford Australia has been testing the plug-in hybrid locally, including showing it off to local government. Features like three 10-amp household power sockets and V2L capability ought to make this plug-in hybrid ute ideal for job-site use. 

Unlike diesel Rangers, the plug-in hybrid will be manufactured in South Africa, with high-spec models certainly coming to Australia. Lower trim XL versions are possible and may be focused at mining and worksite fleets. 

The Ranger PHEV is a crucial product for Ford. The existing ute is currently the most popular new car in Australia but it produces between 199 (XL 4x2 single turbo) and 222 grams (Platinum 4x4 V6) of CO2 per kilometre. 

The ‘headline’ figure for light commercial vehicles by 2025 is 210g/km, with that falling to 110g/km by 2029. Ford will reportedly drop its twin-turbo diesel four-cylinder engine to aid its cause.

Pricing is unconfirmed but the typical plug-in premium sits anywhere between $5000 to $15,000, depending on the brand. Basically, it could push a Ranger Wildtrak towards $90K on the road.

Ford will confirm more details of the Ranger plug-in hybrid, including likely power, torque and towing capacity, early next week. Australian deliveries were expected by late 2024 or early 2025, however may be pushed back to later next year.