Ranger to go electric by 2030 as Ford boosts EV investment

The Ford Ranger looks set to go electric – although it could be a few years away yet.

That’s one of many revelations from Ford’s overnight announcement that it expects 40 percent of its global sales to be electrified vehicles by 2030 as it steps up its investment in EVs and PHEVs to US$30 billion.

Fresh from the reveal of the F-150 Lightning – an all-electric version of Ford’s top-selling large ute – Ford is ramping up its focus on EVs.

And off-roaders and utes are front and centre.

READ MORE: EV ute overload: The electric pickups coming soon

In announcing the mammoth EV investment, Ford’s chief product platform and operations officer, Hua Thai-Tang, announced a new flexible architecture that would underpin a range of rear-drive and all-wheel drive vehicles.

While not naming the Ranger specifically, Thai-Tang referenced “mid-sized trucks” and “rugged SUVs” as two of the recipients of the new platform, which will be rolled out across a range of vehicles over the next decade.

Given the Ranger is Ford’s mid-sized pickup truck in the US, the logical take-out is that it will go electric in future – and we’re guessing it could be called the Ranger Lightning.

“Our new rear-wheel drive, all-wheel drive BEV flexible architecture will underpin a range of emotive vehicles slated for production between now and 2030,” said Thai-Tang. “Including … pick-ups, delivering legendary built Ford tough capability on mid-sized trucks, rugged SUVs, for our adventure-seeking customers…”

It’s also likely to include the Jeep Wrangler-rivalling Bronco, considering it shares plenty under the skin with the Ranger – and it perfectly fits the definition of a “rugged SUV”.

And, naturally, any electric Ranger would likely spawn an electric Everest, the SUV spin-off of the ute architecture.

Considering the next Ranger is being developed in conjunction with the Volkswagen Amarok, it also stands to reason Volkswagen would have access to the tech.

Australian involvement in Ranger EV?

There’s a good chance Australia will play a role in the development of electrified Rangers in future.

Ford’s 1000-person-plus design and development centre engineered the current Ranger.

And there are currently prototypes and extensive development taking place for the next generation Ranger, which is expected in 2022.

No word yet from Ford, so watch this space.

Batteries key to Ford’s EV growth

Ford will spend big on batteries, which it will market as IonBoost.

“The success of BEVs is tied to battery energy density and cost,” said Thai-Tang. “That’s why Ford has been investing to accelerate our battery R&D.”

Ford claims to have developed a unique pouch cell technology.

While the tech will be shared across its EV models, Ford is tailoring battery technology to different applications.

It will also produce batteries called IonBoostPro, which will be used in commercial applications such as the Transit electric van.

“IonBoostPro is described as “lithium-ion phosphate chemistry which costs less and is better suited for duty cycles that require less range, where batteries are fully drained every use cycle”.

Ford also says solid state batteries will arrive by 2030.

Ford: Win with BEVs – and beat Tesla!

Ford says it wants to dominate with BEVs, something it believes it’s already working towards.

Thai-Tang says the Mustang Mach-e is “widely acknowledged as Tesla’s first true competitor”.

“Our goal is to win with BEVs and achieve equal to higher market share in the same high volume segments and markets that we compete in today with ICE vehicles.”

And Ford believes it can be more profitable selling battery electric vehicles than internal combustion engine ones.

“Our ultimate goal is to deliver a holistic ecosystem, including services that should allow us to achieve higher profitability over time than we do today with ICE vehicles.”

Ford Australia EV announcements coming “soon”

Ford Australia also appears to be readying an EV assault.

Ford Australia product communications manager Ben Nightingale recently told EVcentral that it was “taking a considered approach to electrification to make sure we get our offering right for our customers”.

But he also said Ford Australia would make announcements “soon”.

“We’ll share more about our local rollout plans soon,” said Nightingale.

“We’re pleased to see a growing appetite for EVs in Australia.

“Ford owners are very clear that they expect toughness, performance and capability from our vehicles, and so our focus is on offering EVs to meet those expectations.”