Plug-in hybrid Ford Ranger Raptor is possible

FORD is weighing the possibility of transforming its flagship Ranger Raptor into a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) as pressure mounts on carmakers, including the Detroit-based Blue Oval, to slash CO2 emissions under the New Vehicle Emissions Standard (NVES) that is now in force in Australia.

Currently sold exclusively with a 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged petrol V6 engine producing 292kW/583Nm, the Raptor’s circa-6.0 second 0-100km/h time will come at a future cost on Ford’s NVES balance sheet on which the all-electric, yet slow-selling Mustang Mach-E is barely making a dent.

The Raptor is rated in Australia to produce 262g/km of CO2, significantly higher than the NVES light commercial vehicle threshold of 210g/km in 2025, a figure that declines rapidly to 110g/km in 2029.

Despite its $90,440 (plus on-road costs) price tag, the Ranger Raptor accounts for nearly 20 per cent of Ranger sales in Australia, making it a significant contributor to Ford Australia’s bottom line, but also its emissions footprint, and one that could generate multi-million-dollar fines unless mitigated.

Such mitigation would likely be electric to some degree, with Ford developing a number of hybrid and fully electric options for its global pick-up trucklines. Ford launched the Ranger PHEV in Australia earlier this month, while battery-electric (BEV) and full hybrid (HEV) versions of the F-150 are sold in North America.

Speaking with GoAuto at the European launch of the Ranger PHEV, Jim Baumbick, Ford global vice president of advanced product development, indicated that PHEV technology could be applied to the Ranger beyond the level of the 207kW/697Nm four-cylinder powertrain found in the initial version.

“You can apply the (hybrid) system to other propulsion types. I will use the F-150 as an example [where] we use our 3.5-litre V6 EcoBoost coupled to a hybrid transmission. It delivers performance above a V8 and enables (7.2kW) of Pro Power (vehicle-to-load),” he said.

“I would say it is the right time for plug-in hybrid (for Ranger).

“We are building our portfolio of capabilities … I think that is going to open up our customers around the benefits of electrification without any trade-off to what the truck is capable of.”

In North America, the larger F-150 is sold with a variety of powertrains including the PowerBoost hybrid, which combines a 3.5-litre turbocharged petrol V6 with a 35kW electric motor and 1.5kWh battery to deliver combined outputs of 321kW/772Nm.

That figure rivals the 321kW/650Nm BYD Shark 6 and exceeds the 300kW/750Nm GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV, and if transformed into a plug-in hybrid system, it could deliver even more peak power plus all-electric running of perhaps 50km.

A Ranger Raptor PHEV that utilised the core powertrain of the F-150 PowerBoost referred to by Mr Baumbick, and the electric motor and battery from the standard Ranger PHEV, raises the spectre of slashing the Raptor’s substantial CO2 rating to around 100g/km (WLTP), less than half its current figure.

In addition to the emissions benefits, a hybrid Ranger Raptor could unlock desirable improvements in towing capacity, which is currently capped in non-hybrid twin-turbo V6 form at 2500kg, falling short of the standard Ranger’s 3500kg limit. The Ranger PHEV can tow 3500kg, too.

The plug-in Ranger PHEV, offered in XLT, Sport, Wildtrak and Stomtrak trims, uses a 138kW/411Nm 2.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol, 75kW electric motor, and 11.8kWh battery to generate 207kW/697Nm. Going PHEV costs $5150 more than the diesel V6 in XLT guise, or about a seven per cent uplift.

A similar cost differential for the Raptor would see today’s $90K non-hybrid V6 petrol cost around $97,000 + ORCs in PHEV format. While such a lift into six-figure driveaway territory is confronting, if Ford does nothing, the costs of significant penalties under NVES will have to be offset in some way.