The all-new Ford Ranger PHEV debuted back in September 2023 as the very first electrified version of the mid-size pickup, and subsequently launched earlier this month in Australia, followed by Europe. By now, we know pretty much everything there is to know about the Ranger PHEV, including the fact that it isn’t really designed to be upfitted with steel trays or canopies in place of its traditional bed, largely due to the design of its electrified powertrain. Turns out, the ICE component of that same powertrain is slightly different than what one will find in other Ranger variants, too.
According to CarExpert, the Ford Ranger PHEV utilizes a detuned version of the regular turbocharged 2.3L I-4 EcoBoost, also found in the U.S. market Ranger and Ford Mustang EcoBoost. On its own accord, that gas engine churns out 138 kW (185 horsepower) and 411 Nm (303 pound-feet) of torque, compared to 232 kW (311 horsepower) and 475 Nm (350 pound-feet) in the Australian pony car, however. As for why Ford opted to take a bit of power out of the Ranger PHEV’s gas engine, well, the answer is quite simple, it seems.
“Could you add more performance? Yes. Would it come with tradeoffs? You bet – fuel economy,” Jim Baumbick, Ford’s vice president of advanced product development, cycle planning, and programs, told the Australian media in Iceland recently. “One of the critical attributes of a hybrid is total cost of ownership and fuel-efficiency. For us, it was about optimizing the system for performance, towing and capability. Our target was diesel [performance] or better. The PHEV offers hybrid propulsion, [better] fuel economy, and the superpower of Pro Power Onboard.”
“As we know, from July, things change a little bit, so it’s a very important part of our mix,” Ford Australia and New Zealand CEO, Andrew Birkic, previously stated regarding Australia’s stricter emissions rules. “I believe with electrification, what you need is that balance. Obviously there’s a compliance element, but it’s got to be customer-driven. It has to be customer-driven because that’s what will drive your sales, and that’s why what we’ve done is build a vehicle that’s the best of both worlds, whether it’s towing or carrying or off-road capability, that’s what the PHEV does and that’s what separates it.”
No Comments yet