Huge change for Aust’s best selling car
Australia’s best-selling car will never be the same again, promising to revolutionise the worksite and campsite and everything in between.
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Ford’s plug-in hybrid Ranger promises to do everything its diesel cousins can, and a few things they can’t.
The first plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) based on Ford’s best-selling ute matches the 3.5 tonne towing capacity of conventional Rangers while offering the ability to drive silently for short trips, or power electric tools on the worksite or campsite.
The new Ford Ranger Stormtrak is powered by a 2.3-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol engine mated to a battery and electric motor.
The car’s price, power output and fuel consumption figure have not been confirmed by the blue oval.
But we do know the petrol engine is augmented by a 75kW electric motor and 11.8kWh of usable battery capacity.
That's enough for almost 50 kilometres of electric driving when fully charged.
Ford also says it has “the ability to power high-draw tools simultaneously on a job site or keep a fridge and lights running, and devices charged, while camping off-grid”.
The system can deliver up to 6.9kW of energy through three outlets, a cabin power outlet with 2.3kW and two outlets in the load bed with an individual outlet limit of 3.45kW.
It takes inspiration from the electric Ford F-150 Lightning which was pitched to tradies as the ultimate vehicle for the worksite.
Andrew Birkic, president and chief executive for Ford Australia and New Zealand, said the car has a lot to offer.
“The Ranger PHEV delivers the benefits of electrification together with the hardworking performance that has built Ranger a loyal customer base in Australia and New Zealand,” he said.
“We ensured our first PHEV pick-up in Australia and New Zealand would be a hugely capable tool for work and off-roading, as well as a smart vehicle with the tech, connectivity and EV-only capability for family life.”
The hybrid Ranger will go on sale in 2025 alongside rival machines entering the plug-in hybrid pick-up space.
GWM confirmed last week that the new Cannon Alpha Ultra would go on sale in early 2025 and BYD is preparing to launch its new Shark ute in Australia soon.
The Ranger Stormtrak and other models with hybrid power have an important role to play in helping the blue oval reduce its average fuel economy.
New laws surrounding average fuel emissions, known as the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard, penalise car makers who sell too many thirsty vehicles.
Some of Ford’s most popular cars, such as the twin-turbo Ford Ranger Raptor and V8-powered Mustang GT, are gas guzzlers.
So Ford needs to sell a lot of Mustang Mach-E electric cars and Ranger PHEV utes to offset the emissions of thirsty models.
Originally published as Huge change for Aust’s best selling car
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