Ford has in the end divulged the technical particulars of the Ford Ranger plug-in hybrid. Ford’s midsize pickup truck was introduced with a hybrid model final yr, however on the time, the Blue Oval stored the main points scarce. Now, it is given us extra data to pore over, and the juiciest tidbit pertains to the electrical motor sandwiched between the 10-speed computerized gearbox and the two.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder engine.
Twice As Highly effective As F-150 Hybrid’s E-Motor
Whereas mixed outputs nonetheless stay a secret, the electrical element of this hybrid powertrain provides 100.6 horsepower (75 kW) to the entire output. This comes from what Ford phrases a “modular hybrid transmission,” a well-known time period for anybody who’s regarded into the Ford F-150 Hybrid. In each cases, the MHT system refers to an electrical motor positioned between the ICE and the 10-speed computerized transmission. It is a clutched system that may have interaction with the powertrain and supply various ranges of enter, gradual shifts between electrified and non-electrified propulsion, and function independently on both pure combustion or pure electrical energy.
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However within the F-150, this MHT solely contributes 47 hp (35 KW), which means the smaller Ranger has greater than double the electrical help of its huge brother. It is not precisely a shock for a plug-in powertrain to have a stronger e-motor, because the Ranger PHEV additionally has a bigger battery (11.8 kWh vs. 1.5 kWh), nestled between particularly engineered body rails, giving it a usable all-electric vary of roughly 28 miles (WLTP testing). It additionally offers a useful bump in torque, and whereas, once more, the mixed output hasn’t been famous, Ford claims this has extra torque than another Ranger, which means greater than the 430 lb-ft discovered within the Raptor.
The Unhealthy Information: It is Not Coming To America
As CarBuzz reported when the truck was first unveiled in PHEV kind, Ford has no plans to launch the hybrid Ranger stateside. On the time of its launch, a Ford consultant confirmed as a lot in a press release to CarBuzz, and the stance hasn’t modified:
“The Ranger PHEV is for Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. For patrons in North America in search of a hybrid or electrical truck, we at the moment supply Maverick Hybrid, F-150 PowerBoost Hybrid and F-150 Lightning.”
However whereas we are able to lament its forbidden fruit standing, maybe Ford could think about using the 75-kW electrical motor within the F-150 Hybrid at a future date. This compact motor provides simply 6.3 inches to the entire size of the 10-speed transmission, which is negligible in a truck the scale of the F-150. We additionally know Ford could introduce an all-electric Ranger sooner or later, with earlier trademark filings for the Ranger Lightning nameplate.
It is not as simple as delivery in e-motors and bolting them on, although, as Ford particularly notes that the MHT is constructed on the identical manufacturing line because the 10-speed computerized and is an built-in unit, however that is partially what permits it to seamlessly match into the Ranger and fulfill all of the expectations of truck homeowners.
“The MHT is the important thing ingredient in making certain Ranger PHEV delivers the aptitude we all know our homeowners anticipate from a truck with a Ranger badge, together with enhanced versatility, spectacular low-end torque and an total faster-responding powertrain which suggests improved efficiency in comparison with common Ranger.”
– Rob Sharples, Ford Motor Firm, Ranger Plug-in Hybrid Chief Engineer