Ford Ranger PHEV Detailed – Peppier Than A Raptor* With 45 KM EV Range

The Ford Ranger PHEV has officially launched in Europe this week where it comes exclusively in Stormtrak guise.

It’s been a little over a year since Ford first revealed the electrified, plug-in hybrid (PHEV) redux of its best-selling Ranger mid-sized pick-up truck. This week, the model gets launched in Europe following the start of its production – Ford had initially promised to commence which by Q4 this year.

With its launch in Germany during the 2024 IAA Transportation expo in Hannover, Ford has released more details surrounding this electrified Ranger variant. For said market, the Ford Ranger PHEV is sold exclusively in Stormtrak trim – a more luxurious redux of the Wildtrak guise.

Despite its added electrification, Ford says the Ranger PHEV's towing, payload capacity and off-road abilities matches with its non-electrified stablemates.

What remains unchanged here is the Ranger PHEV’s towing, payload and off-road credentials which, according to Ford, matches its non-electrified siblings. The only difference here is of course the added efficiency and flexibility plus the lowered emissions added into the mix.

At the heart of the Ford Ranger PHEV is a 2.3-litre EcoBoost 4-cyl turbo petrol mill. It is augmented by an e-motor rated with 101 HP that’s housed within the transmission’s bell housing, and it sees a combined total system’s output of 275 HP and a meaty 690 NM.

In contrast, said outputs surpasses that churned out by the familiar 2.0-litre 4-cyl Bi-Turbo diesel lump powering the bulk of the diesel-powered Ranger line-up, which also includes the Ranger Raptor 2.0 Bi-Turbo. As a refresher, this oil-burner puts out 207 HP and 500 NM.

Combined, the PHEV powertrain develops peppy figures that read at 275 HP and 690 NM. Moreover, with a full charge, the Ranger PHEV also boasts up to 45 KM of all-electric range.

As per its stablemates, the Ford Ranger PHEV powertrain package includes a 10-speed automatic transmission plus a electronic four-wheel-drive (e-4WD) driveline, the latter featuring both a dual-range transfer box and rear diff-lock functions.

Said e-motor works with a compact 11.8 kWh battery pack and, according to Ford, a full-charge from which enables up to 45 KM of pure-electric driving range too. Said battery can be plugged-in and recharge in under four hours, and the e-motor also offers regenerative braking.

Another key change brought on by the PHEV system is the uprated Pro Power Onboard system. The standard 2.3 kW or optional 6.9 kW power supply outlets available can easily power up tools, electronics, or a camping trailer.

Besides enhanced fuel efficiency and lower emissions, the PHEV system also boasts an uprated Pro Power Onboard system. In turn, this enables owners to easily power up tools, electronic devices or camping trailers via standard 2.3 kW or optional 6.9 kW power supply outlets.

Powertrain aside, Ford also highlights that the chassis of the Ford Ranger PHEV has been tweaked slightly, key amongst which being its suspension – it’s be recalibrated to suit the added PHEV system’s altered weight distribution.

As for its exterior, the Stormtrak guise brings the Flexible Rack System comes as standard kit. Styling tweaks are mild to say the least, and it includes revised inserts in the front grille and side gills.

Visually, the only giveaway setting this Ranger PHEV variant apart from its stablemates is its added charging port positioned near the fuel cap on the rear fender. It’s also worth noting that Ford have prepared a limited-run Stormtrak ‘launch edition’ that sports a slew of unique exterior trims.

Key aesthetic bits of this electrified Stormtrak variant include 18-inch alloy wheels, revised honeycomb grille, variant-specific body decal set, as well as revised side gills (vents) with PHEV script badges. Matrix LED headlights comes as standard, as does the Flexible Rack System.

On board, the blue oval marque added a few more luxuries to this electrified Stormtrak such as a 10-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio suite, as well as a 360-degree camera function bult-into its 12-inch infotainment display.

Presently, the Ford Ranger PHEV is manufactured in Ford’s Silverton, South Africa plant. Apart from the EU, Ford has confirmed plans to market the Ranger PHEV in both Australia and New Zealand, with first deliveries here slated to commence early next year (2025).