Ford New Zealand has confirmed all pricing and technical details for its Ranger plug-in hybrid (PHEV), ahead of the model's launch here mid-year.
The lineup will consist of three versions at launch: an XLT at $82,990, Wildtrak at $89,990 and a new flagship called Stormtrak at $94,990. The XLT and Wildtrak represent premiums of $15,500 and $13,000 over their respective 2.0-litre turbo-diesel equivalents, or just $5000 if we're talking about the Wildtrak 3.0-litre V6.
The V6 is a valid comparison in some respects, because the 2.3-litre turbo-petrol/electric PHEV powertrain produces more torque than any other Ranger, with a combined output of 697Nm (V6 turbo diesel 600Nm, Raptor petrol V6 583Nm).
Combined power from the 138kW engine and 75kW electric motor is 207kW. As with other Rangers, the transmission is a 10-speed automatic and the PHEV features the 4A automatic AWD mode (suitable for on-road driving) offered on the V6 models and special-edition 4-cylinder versions like Wildtrak X and Tremor. It also has the Sport drive mode previously only offered on the Raptor.
Combined fuel economy is 2.8l/100km, with a claimed 43km EV range.
Aside from cleaner running, one of the big brags for the Ranger PHEV is Pro Power Onboard, which allows owners to use the 11.8kWh to power external devices (tools or camping equipment, for example).
Every variant in NZ comes with the 6.9kW system as standard. There's a single 10-amp, 2.3kW socket in the cabin, and twin 15-amp, 3.45kW sockets in the tray.
“Pro Power Onboard is a game changer for Ranger owners,” says Phil Millar, chief programme engineer for Ranger PHEV. “Now instead of having to carry a heavy generator or batteries that take up precious room and can often be very noisy, a Ranger PHEV owner can plug virtually anything they might want to power directly into the vehicle itself.
“With 15-amp sockets in the tray, that’s equivalent to having a powered caravan park site with you anywhere you might want to explore... We’ve engineered Pro Power Onboard for maximum convenience in real-world situations. It functions with the car locked and when it is plugged in to charge, plus if the battery should deplete completely the 2.3-litre EcoBoost then kicks in to keep everything running.”
Ranger PHEV can run in four different drive modes: Auto EV, EV Now and EV Later (which holds the battery at its current state of charge).
Ranger PHEV retains a 3500kg tow rating and up to 973kg payload on the XLT. The Wildtrak and Stormtrak are rated at 885kg and 808kg respectively. Ranger PHEV has a unique design of tray which is slightly longer than the regular dual-cab Ranger, now just over 1600mm (big enough for two Euro pallets).