You can now have the Ford Ranger pickup with PHEV power

Well, this was inevitable – Ford has finally electrified the Ranger pickup truck. It hasn’t gone full EV like it did with the F-150 Lightning though. Instead, Europe’s best-selling pickup will be getting a plug-in hybrid powertrain that pairs a 2.3-litre EcoBoost four-pot with a 10-speed auto gearbox, an electric motor and an 11.8kWh battery. 

That PHEV powertrain will result in outputs of 275bhp and 509lb ft of torque. Not bad. In fact, that actually makes this the torquiest Ranger of all – the petrol V6 Raptor gets 362lb ft, while the twin-turbo 3.0-litre diesel V6 in the standard Ranger makes 443lb ft.

The electric motor is integrated into the bellhousing, while the battery is packaged in between special frame rails. Said battery should provide up to 27 miles of all electric range and it’ll take just under four hours to charge from 0-100 per cent.

It also means that (like on hybrid and electric Transits) Ford can now offer its Pro Power Onboard system on the Ranger. Essentially that means if the right boxes are ticked on the configurator, drivers can power two tools at once, each with 3.45kW of power directly from the battery – negating the need for a generator. Neat.

The PHEV also retains the one-tonne payload, 3,500kg towing capacity, dual-range transfer box and rear differential lock of the combustion-engined Rangers. 

We’re told that it’ll be available in Wildtrak and XLT trims, but orders will open with a Stormtrak launch edition. Deliveries should begin in spring 2025, with that launch edition featuring 18-inch alloy wheels, a honeycomb grille, fancy decals, matrix LED lights, something called Pro Trailer Backup Assist and a 10-speaker B&O sound system.

Ford says that last year, Ranger sales accounted for over 45 per cent of the pickup truck market in the UK. Reckon the PHEV will increase that even further?