2025 Ford Ranger PHEV: Australian development reaches major milestone

The 1000th prototype vehicle has departed Ford Australia’s local assembly facility in Campbellfield, Melbourne, marking a significant milestone for the Blue Oval brand. The announcement comes ahead of the global reveal of the Ranger PHEV in Europe later today.

The facility – known as New Model Programs (NMP) – is where its staff build engineering projects and test mules to support Ford’s global vehicle launches. In effect, the NMP continues Ford’s long history of utilising Australian labour since the brand slammed shut local manufacturing back in 2016.

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In fact, the NMP team needed to be upskilled and gain EV certification, as the Ranger PHEV is the first electrified prototype to roll through its production line.

“It’s fitting that the Ranger PHEV is the 1000th prototype for NMP, and shows how Ford remains at the cutting edge of local vehicle development and is putting Australian skills and workers on a global stage,” said Vince Ciocca, NMP Plant Manager, Ford Australia.

Initial prototypes of the current Ranger and Everest also rolled through the NMP facility, as did a collaboration with Herrod Performance to produce 500 examples of the Ford Mustang R-Spec.

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The Ranger PHEV is slated to join Ford’s Aussie line-up in 2025, with Ford confirming it will be built in South Africa from late 2024. The plug-in hybrid will be powered by a 2.3-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder motor and a single electric motor. A driving range of 45km in full-electric mode is expected, and its 3500kg towing capacity will be retained.

More details of the Ranger PHEV will be announced at the IAA Transportation Show, held in Hanover, Germany, at 5:40pm AEST on September 16.