Ford Ranger plug-in hybrid coming for Europe, may signal electrified pickup for US
Ford plans for its whole lineup of cars in Europe to be "zero-emissions capable" by the middle of this decade -- that includes trucks.
Ford will soon bring a plug-in hybrid pickup truck to Europe. According to a report from Australia's Car Expert on Saturday, Ford Europe confirmed with the publication the automaker's recent push for "zero-emissions capable" vehicles across its entire lineup includes the Ranger pickup. The Aussies tried to dig in a little to find out if the pickup will also be available down under, but the Blue Oval didn't confirm anything.
Our attempt to try and squeeze a little information out of Ford here in the US was met with the company declining to comment on the truck's US prospects. Ford of Europe confirmed its "zero-emissions-capable" commitment, but did leave the door open to a lesser Ranger hybrid, too.
However, we know the Ranger's in for a big redesign soon, and it seems Ford's global push for electrified and electric vehicles is an all-hands-on-deck ordeal, even here in the US. Ford's in the process of rolling out the Mustang Mach-E to customers and we'll see a totally electric F-150 pickup debut next year. An electrified Ranger midsize truck isn't hard to imagine.
With Ford keeping quiet about the possibility of a plug-in Ranger here in the US, we'll have to wait and see what unfolds. However, the report cites anonymous sources who note the plug-in powertrain will be totally new for Ford. Specifically, it may be a 2.3-liter turbo-four paired with an electric motor and a battery. As is the norm with electrified vehicles, power and torque show up big time with a rumored 362 horsepower and 500 pound-feet of torque. If those figures ring true, this will be one heck of a zero-emissions-capable Ranger.
