Right now is a pretty exciting time for anyone who is following Ford's latest activities closely, as they plan to offer a new plug-in hybrid powertrain option for their next-generation pickup.
The reasoning behind providing a hybrid version of this new vehicle is that Ford is committed to constructing a zero-emission version of its entire commercial vehicle line-up in Europe by 2024.
Furthermore, the Financial Times reports that investors are urging on plans by General Motors and Ford to spend tens of millions of dollars on electric vehicles, even as the automakers benefit from exploding revenues from cars and trucks with traditional engines.
For Ford, things are good right now; they surprised investors in late July when it reported a $561 million second-quarter profit on increasing demand for trucks and SUVs. However, it seems like the future for the American automaker lies in hybrid and electric vehicles.
Elsewhere, Volkswagen is due to release a new Amarok commercial vehicle next year.
Back in April, Hot Cars reported that Volkswagen had produced a drawing of their new pickup, and it is only marginally less aggressive than previous versions of this truck.
Based on what we know about each model so far, how similar do they appear to be so far? Let's find out.
The 2022 Ford Ranger Will Arrive In Europe First
Details about this new model are rather vague at the moment, but from what has been revealed about the new Ranger, this model is going to be an electrified version of Ford's 2.3-liter Ecoboost gasoline engine, with electrical assistance increasing total output to some 360 hp and 502 lb-ft of torque, which is a lot more than even the most potent version of the Ranger currently available.
Drive reports that the 2022 Ranger will initially have a choice of three diesel engines: a single turbo 2.0-liter, a twin-turbo 2.0-liter, and a turbo 3.0-liter V6 as a high-performance option for vehicles such as the mid-range XLT, top-of-the-range Wildtrak, and the flagship Raptor.
The publication understands the plug-in hybrid will initially be available in Europe and other nations where there are tough emissions standards.
Regardless, and this depends entirely upon how much demand there is for the new Ranger, the plug-in version may arrive in Australia as the engineering work will already have been done for other countries.
The first photos of the Ford ute are anticipated to be released in the second half of 2021, but there is limited technical information as the American automaker continues to sell down stock of the current generation vehicle, which has been on sale since 2011.
The Goal Of Ford's Latest Strategy
According to Autocar, Ford is enlarging its operations in South Africa to prepare its Silverton factory for the production of the new Ranger and its mechanically identical Amarok sibling, to the tune of £0.77 billion (around $1.06 billion).
The sum will be invested in improving Silverton's environmental credentials and boosting its annual capacity from 168,000 to 200,000 vehicles.
The plant will also manufacture the Amarok. Both pickups are being developed together in a partnership between the two businesses that is said to greatly improve economies of scale.
Ford and Volkswagen confirmed a wide-ranging global alliance in 2020, whereby the two will combine to produce commercial vehicles and pickups, including a Ford EV built on the Volkswagen Group's MEB platform.
Silverton's carbon footprint is also a central focus for them. As well as production line upgrades, Ford's investment will fund the construction of 4,200 solar-equipped carports, but they intend to earmark future environment-saving innovations.
The 2022 Ranger Will Compete With The Volkswagen Amarok
Rather like its Ford sibling, there is a chance that Volkswagen may borrow either the 2.3-liter turbo-four and possibly even the 2.7-liter turbo V6. The good news for those who reside outside of the US is that it is likely that there will be diesel variants available, which means many people in Europe may be able to purchase an Amarok, despite diesel's growing unpopularity.
Volkswagen sources revealed that their new truck could have an updated version of the incredibly smooth 3.0-liter V6 TDI, but even if that's true, then it hardly represents a break from the old Amarok, which also has a similar engine. But some could argue that this could mean that the German automaker is maintaining a sense of consistency.
In terms of engine size, both models are inevitably going to be similar in this respect. Both are, of course, pickups, and they are the result of a collaboration between Ford and Volkswagen. More details about both vehicles should be released soon, but it is fair to say that the result of this collaboration should be two amazing trucks.