Report: PHEV Ford Ranger Reportedly Coming In 2025

A plug-in hybrid (PHEV) version of the Ford Ranger is said to be in the works for the Australian market. Note: 2023MY Malaysia-spec Ranger Wildtrak pictured.

According to a report by Australian website Drive.com.au, an electrified, plug-in hybrid (PHEV) version of the Ford Ranger is supposedly in development. Said report indicates that this new Ford Ranger PHEV variant is set to hit Australian showrooms sometime next year (2025) too.

The Australian portal's report stems from its claims of having seen “top secret plans” that show Ford planning a PHEV option for perhaps one of its most successful nameplates in said market – and in neighbouring Asia Pacific.

Predictably, the mighty Blue Oval hasn’t officially confirmed anything, so perhaps it’s best to take this news with a pinch of salt at least. Nevertheless, the details reported by the outlet does bring forth some very interesting stats.

Instead of the 2.0-litre bi-turbo 4-cyl diesel pictured, the upcoming Ranger PHEV for Australia will harness a 2.3-litre petrol 4-cyl instead.

For starters, the PHEV Ranger will ditch its signature oil-burner turbo-diesel lump for a petrol one instead, which packs a 2.3-litre displacement. This mill already exists in Ford’s array of available engines, even powering the US-market Ranger model presently, serving up 297 HP and 452 NM on its own.

Said mill will work in tandem with the combination of an electric motor and battery system, though the specs for either haven’t been revealed just yet. The key takeaway here is the fact that it is a plug-in type hybrid, not a series-parallel type.

How such a powertrain will fare in the hands of drivers with serious off-road routines is something we find hard to imagine, but we also won’t deny how viable this setup would be for urban lifestyle truckers. As noted, even without electrification, the petrol mill detailed already stands very meaty indeed.

The next-gen Ford Ranger Wildtrak (left) and XLT Plus variants are examples of the Ranger models that Ford presently build in its Thailand facility.

As for market availability, this upcoming Ford Ranger PHEV is aimed primarily for Australia, and Drive.com.au states the model will be built in South Africa. It also adds that the model’s PHEV powertrain could be adapted into the Ford Bronco.

As for its availability in other markets, this remains to be seen. Presently, the Asian market Ford Ranger is primarily produced in Ford’s Thailand plant, which is charged with building diesel-powered versions of the Ranger model only for the time being.

The Ranger PHEV’s entry into Asian markets could be possible should said Thai plant induct both the 2.3-litre petrol mill PHEV system into its production cycle. Will a PHEV pick-up truck as such work in the Asian market? Your guess is as good as ours…