Revealed! New gen Ford Ranger that will soon by an EV

November 24, 2021April 1, 2022 Toby Hagon 6402 Views ford

Ford has unveiled the all-new Ranger that will form the basis for an upcoming electric version of the dual-cab ute.

As with the previous Ranger that now accounts for almost three quarters of Ford’s Australian sales, the new Ranger was largely designed and engineered in Australia.

Bold styling for the new Ranger was inspired by the F-150, which already has an EV version in the form of the F-150 Lightning.

The C-shaped LED headlights, black highlights and bluff grille dominate the nose, while the body has grown courtesy of a wheelbase that is 50mm longer.

2022 Ford Ranger Wildtrak — The new Ford Ranger has been engineered to be electrified

The new Ranger is also wider, with left and right wheels (track) 50mm further apart, in turn creating a larger load area that can now accommodate a standard pallet.

Ford has previously confirmed it is developing an ell-electric version of its Ranger mid-sized ute, or pickup truck as the Americans refer to them.

In revealing the new model – which fights with the Toyota Hilux for the number one sales title – Ford confirmed it had been engineered to accommodate an EV system.

Chief engineer of the T6 platform that underpins the Ranger (and its Everest SUV sibling), Ian Foston, says the car has been “future-proofed” for hybrid and/or electric drivetrains.

“The next gen Ranger, based off the third generation of T6 platform, we are enabling this for future propulsion technologies within the platform bandwidth.”

While he wouldn’t be drawn on timing for a hybrid or the already-confirmed electric version of the Ranger, Foston said there was plenty of interest.

When specifically asked about hybrid options, he confirmed customers had asked for it, driven from a desire to reduce fuel costs but also to meet legislative requirements that are stricter in many parts of the world than they are in Australia.

Ford has previously given a clue of the hybrid system that could be used in the new Ranger with its Bronco hybrid; the boxy Bronco (which isn’t planned to be sold in Australia) is built on the same T6 archicture.

And Ford has first-hand experience of the interest levels of electric utes, having made the decision to double production capacity for the F-150 Lightning due to strong early demand.

For now, though, the new Ranger is about bigger, beefier and more power.

The chassis has been strengthened and suspension revised to improve on-road dynamics while also improving reliability and off-road capability.

While it will be available four-cylinder diesel engines based on existing designs, the Ranger will also be offered with a version of the 3.0-litre V6 turbo diesel already used in the larger F-150.

While not revealing power outputs, a Ford engineer said: “Ranger will pretty much be in its own category … in terms of power and torque”.

There’s also more thought put into its functionality, including steps either side of the rear bumper, a ruler built into the tailgate and an available 240V power outlet in the tray.

Connectivity has also stepped up with a large touchscreen – either 10.1-inch or 12.0-inch, depending on the model variant – arranged in a portrait configuration.

While it won’t launch with the capability, Ford says the Ranger has been future-proofed for over-the-air software updates that can improve functionality or add more features.

The Ranger will also form the basis of the yet-to-be-revealed next generation Volkswagen Amarok, which will share its architecture and some mechanical components with the Ranger.