Ford Ranger plug-in hybrid coming to Australia: This is how the all new ute stacks up towards the competitors

The Ford Ranger will change into Australia’s first ute accessible as a hybrid from early subsequent 12 months. 

That is the largest shake-up within the diesel-dominated ute market in many years, with Ford getting in earlier than Elon Musk‘s Tesla firm launches its fully-electric Cybertruck.

Ford will supply prospects a plug-in hybrid model of the Ranger ute from early 2025, making it the primary ute in Australia to be accessible with one thing aside from a diesel or petrol engine.

Whereas Toyota gives hybrid variations of its RAV4, Corolla and Camry, it’s but to take action on the HiLux, Australia’s perennial bestseller. 

The all-electric Ford F-150 Lightning is not coming to Australia, as a result of demand is outpacing provide within the U.S., however Ford is providing the subsequent smartest thing with the Ranger.

The Ford Ranger will change into Australia’s first ute accessible as a hybrid from early subsequent 12 months

Ford will supply prospects a plug-in hybrid model of the Ranger ute from early 2025, making it the primary ute in Australia to be accessible with one thing aside from a diesel or petrol engine

Andrew Birkic, the president and chief govt of Ford Australia and New Zealand, stated the plug-in hybrid model of the Australian-designed Ranger would give motorists efficiency and nil tailpipe emissions.

‘The Ranger Plug-in Hybrid is a best-of-both-worlds resolution for work, play, and household – providing prospects zero-tailpipe emissions EV driving for brief journeys, or hybrid efficiency that delivers unbelievable on- and off-road efficiency,’ he stated

Ranger Plug-in Hybrid will ship extra torque than some other Ranger, because of a 2.3-litre Ford EcoBoost turbo petrol engine paired with an electrical motor and rechargeable battery system. 

It may be pushed in pure electrical mode for greater than 45km with out utilizing a drop of gas or producing tailpipe emissions, serving to prospects save on the pump. 

The focused most braked towing capability of the Ranger Plug-In Hybrid is 3,500 kg – the identical as the remainder of the Ranger line-up. 

The Ford Ranger was Australia’s second hottest automobile in August, behind the Toyota HiLux, but it surely was No. 1 in July for the fourth time in 2023.

This 12 months is the ninetieth anniversary of Ford Australia inventing the ute after Louis ‘Lewis’ Bandt designed the Ford ‘coupe utility’ in Geelong.

This 12 months is the ninetieth anniversary of Ford Australia inventing the ute after Louis ‘Lewis’ Bandt designed the Ford ‘coupe utility’ in Geelong

Bandt in 1933 famously conceptualised a automobile with a tray on the again, after a lady from Gippsland wrote to Ford Australia asking for a cushty passenger automobile which her farmer husband may drive to church on Sunday and carry pigs to market on Monday.

‘My husband and I can not afford a automobile and a truck however we want a automobile to go to church on Sunday and a truck to take the pigs to market on Monday. Are you able to assist?’

Through the Nice Despair, farmers may solely afford one automobile.

The managing director of the Ford Motor Firm of Australia, Hubert French, handed that handwritten letter on to Lewis Bandt, then a 23-year outdated design engineer.

His resolution is now considered one in all Australia’s nice innovations alongside the Victa lawnmower, Hills Hoist clothesline and WiFi, with utes now the highest promoting automobiles each month.

Lewis Bandt, who died in 1987, was additionally the good uncle of Greens chief Adam Bandt.