New Ford Ranger hybrid: what the new plug-in pickup truck that will be manufactured in the country is like

Ford Argentina announced that it will begin manufacturing a plug-in hybrid version of its Ranger pickup truck at its General Pacheco plant. Production will begin in 2027, and the company will invest $170 million in the project.

The announcement was made during a visit by the entire top management of the brand globally, including the company's president, Jim Farley , who wore an Argentine national football team jersey during his visit to the local plant.

With this new announcement, the new Ranger project, which began production in 2023, has now accumulated a total investment of $870 million .

There were an initial 580 million announced in 2020 to start the project and transform the plant, then 80 million more were added for the manufacture of two new engines, another 40 million for new versions and increased production, and the recently reported one to "electrify" the Ranger.

This announcement will make the Ford model the first plug-in hybrid vehicle manufactured in the domestic industry . Other projects, such as the upcoming Volkswagen Amarok , the future Toyota Hilux, or even Renault's half-ton pickup truck , propose electrification options but with different technologies and are awaiting official confirmation.

The new Ford Ranger plug-in hybrid will feature technology that combines a combustion engine and an electric motor that combine or alternate their operation to obtain more power or to reduce fuel consumption.

But the unique feature of this system is that it has a battery with a larger capacity than a conventional hybrid, which can store more energy and be recharged via a standard electrical outlet. This allows for 100% electric driving without using a single drop of fuel.

Production of the first plug-in hybrid Ranger began in late 2024 in South Africa and deliveries to the first customers began this year in Europe, Australia and New Zealand, among others.

This version of the Ranger will offer more torque than any other version manufactured in the country, by combining a 2.3-liter turbocharged EcoBoost gasoline engine (the same one used in the Everest 4x4 and a version of the Mustang sold in North America) with an electric motor and a rechargeable high-voltage battery system.

For reference, consider the data from the model already offered in other markets. There, the entire system delivers 281 horsepower and 697 Nm of torque, along with an electric range of 45 kilometers . Ford Argentina has indicated that the performance of the version to be manufactured in the country will be superior to the current model.

The system offers different hybrid system management modes. One allows it to function as a conventional hybrid, another prioritizes the electric motor, another reserves battery power for later use, and another allows the combustion engine to also generate electricity for storage in the battery.

These changes to its propulsion system will not alter its capabilities, maintaining a payload capacity of one ton and a towing capacity of 3.5 tons . Furthermore, it also features a 10-speed automatic transmission and a 4x4 drive system with various operating modes.

This version also offers the option of the Pro Power Onboard system, which can power tools or devices that require electricity to operate. Until now, this feature was only available on the F-150.

This investment announcement to produce this new plug-in hybrid version comes in the year the Ranger celebrates its 30th anniversary in the Argentinian market, where more than 1.2 million units have been manufactured . Production is projected to increase to more than 80,000 vehicles per year by 2026.