Ford Ranger Hybrid Is Better Than F-150 Hybrid In One Key Area
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Ford has at long last divulged the technical details of the Ford Ranger plug-in hybrid. Ford’s midsize pickup truck was announced with a hybrid version last year, but at the time, the Blue Oval kept the details scarce. Now, it’s given us more info to pore over, and the juiciest tidbit pertains to the electric motor sandwiched between the 10-speed automatic gearbox and the 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder engine.
Twice As Powerful As F-150 Hybrid’s E-Motor
While combined outputs still remain a secret, the electric component of this hybrid powertrain adds 100.6 horsepower (75 kW) to the total output. This comes from what Ford terms a “modular hybrid transmission,” a familiar term for anyone who’s looked into the Ford F-150 Hybrid. In both instances, the MHT system refers to an electric motor placed between the ICE and the 10-speed automatic transmission. It’s a clutched system that can engage with the powertrain and provide varying levels of input, gradual shifts between electrified and non-electrified propulsion, and operate independently on either pure combustion or pure electric power.
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But in the F-150, this MHT only contributes 47 hp (35 KW), meaning the smaller Ranger has more than double the electric assistance of its big brother. It’s not exactly a surprise for a plug-in powertrain to have a stronger e-motor, as the Ranger PHEV also has a larger battery (11.8 kWh vs. 1.5 kWh), nestled between specifically engineered frame rails, giving it a usable all-electric range of approximately 28 miles (WLTP testing). It also provides a handy bump in torque, and while, again, the combined output hasn’t been noted, Ford claims this has more torque than any other Ranger, meaning more than the 430 lb-ft found in the Raptor.
The Bad News: It’s Not Coming To America
As CarBuzz reported when the truck was first unveiled in PHEV form, Ford has no plans to launch the hybrid Ranger stateside. At the time of its launch, a Ford representative confirmed as much in a statement to CarBuzz, and the stance hasn’t changed:
“The Ranger PHEV is for Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. For customers in North America looking for a hybrid or electric truck, we currently offer Maverick Hybrid, F-150 PowerBoost Hybrid and F-150 Lightning.”
But while we can lament its forbidden fruit status, perhaps Ford may consider using the 75-kW electric motor in the F-150 Hybrid at a future date. This compact motor adds just 6.3 inches to the total length of the 10-speed transmission, which is negligible in a truck the size of the F-150. We also know Ford may introduce an all-electric Ranger at some point, with previous trademark filings for the Ranger Lightning nameplate.
It’s not as easy as shipping in e-motors and bolting them on, though, as Ford specifically notes that the MHT is built on the same production line as the 10-speed automatic and is an integrated unit, but that’s partially what allows it to seamlessly fit into the Ranger and fulfill all the expectations of truck owners.
“The MHT is the key ingredient in ensuring Ranger PHEV delivers the capability we know our owners expect from a truck with a Ranger badge, along with enhanced versatility, impressive low-end torque and an overall faster-responding powertrain which means improved performance compared to regular Ranger.”
– Rob Sharples, Ford Motor Company, Ranger Plug-in Hybrid Chief Engineer
