Ford is burning the midnight oil on electrified versions of the recently unveiled Ranger for Australia, that should see the Raptor flagship adopting a petrol-electric hybrid option over any performance V6 diesel alternative.
With Ford having confirmed that the Australian-designed and -engineered T6.2 platform is now electrification ready, it is only a matter of time before we see a selection of electrified Rangers offered around the world, be it in hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) and – eventually – battery-electric vehicle (BEV) guises.
It is also understood that the Raptor will be one of the earliest recipients of a petrol-electric powertrain, since the redesigned, 2023 model is stepping up as the true global flagship of the Ranger series, finally heading into the massive North America for the first time in the near future.
The dramatically larger pool of buyers and associated increase in economies of scale this move brings, along with ever more-stringent emissions requirements in other key markets like Europe, have forced Ford’s hand in accelerating hybrid development in Ranger in the short term, and full BEV development for the next-generation T-truck architecture slated for the completely all-new Ranger and F-Series trucks towards the end of the decade.
Predictably, Ford refuses to divulge any information about what a Ranger or Raptor hybrid might deliver in the output stakes. However, rumours suggest that a high-performance PHEV version may pump out in excess of 350kW of power and over 850Nm of torque.
One candidate for Raptor is a variation of the 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 EcoBoost PHEV, employing an electric motor, a lithium-ion battery and 10-speed modular hybrid transmission.
The most powerful version as used in the Ford Explorer-based Lincoln Aviator SUV currently produces 368kW of power and a stump-pulling 854Nm of torque, though there are versions with lesser outputs also available in other models. It can manage about 35km on pure-electric drive and average as little as 4.2L/100km in combined hybrid mode.
Another might be a powertrain based around the new Ford F-150’s 3.5-litre V6 PowerBoost hybrid HEV, that in US-spec models tops out at 321kW and 773Nm. This aluminium-intensive performance truck can hit 0-100km/h in about 5.5 seconds flat.
Yes, both these vehicles are built on completely different platforms to the T6.2 Ranger, with the Explorer/Aviator even using a monocoque body rather than the others’ body-on-frame layout, but their powertrains have been designed for modularity so they can largely be used across different vehicle architectures as required.
Of course, there are other still-secret petrol-electric hybrid applications under development as well, which could end up in the mid-size pick-up truck for Australia.
Whichever version Ford chooses for the Ranger and Raptor, the outputs should comfortably exceed the 292kW/583Nm 3.0-litre twin-turbo petrol V6 announced without electrification for the 2023 Raptor late last month.
Ford has yet to reveal what the new Ranger and Everest’s 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel outputs will be, but bank on them not straying too far from the 190kW and nearly 600Nm provided by the F-150 with a similar version of this engine.
Putting electrification in the Raptor (as the most expensive Ranger model of all) will help justify the expected $100,000-plus pricing of the anticipated PHEV range topper until the BEV eventually arrives, given that the existing, outgoing PX III Raptor Bi-Turbo with the 157kW/500Nm 2.0-litre twin turbo-diesel already kicks off from $80,000 before on-road costs and the inevitable accessories.
Note that the new Raptor will also again offer a 2.0-litre Bi-Turbo diesel version in some overseas territories, but not for Australia, as it will be comfortably outperformed by lesser Rangers with the V6 turbo-diesel like the new Wildtrak version.
The fact that the Ranger also shares a variation of its T6.2 architecture with the closely related and wildly successful Bronco SUV sold in North America and elsewhere in the world (but not in Australia, sadly), further spreads the hybrid investment across more vehicles in the Ford range.
When questioned about the wisdom of ditching diesel for a potentially thirsty petrol engine in Raptor in a time of rocketing fuel prices and stricter emissions controls, one senior Ford engineer revealed that the answer will lie in electrification, now that the T6.2 platform is electrification-ready for the new Ranger.
As mentioned in previous articles about the T6.2 on CarsGuide, Ford began work on the new Raptor back in 2016, with the goal being to create a more capable all-round package. With much of the Raptor’s unique engineering coming from the Ford Performance division, the Raptor should cement its position as Australia’s true high-performance truck.
Do you agree that choosing an efficient and advanced petrol-electric hybrid system over a V6 turbo-diesel is right for the Raptor?
This is an unfolding story, so stay tuned for more information as it comes to hand.
Keyword: Where's the 2023 Ford Ranger Raptor V6 diesel? Why the secret Raptor hybrid is expected to be a torque monster and eco warrior in one, to leave Toyota HiLux, Nissan Navara reeling