- Ford’s new Ranger PHEV comes with a nifty feature called Pro Power Onboard.
- The tech uses the truck’s 11.8 kWh battery like a generator to run electric devices.
- Euro buyers get the choice of a basic 2.3 kW or a more powerful 6.9 kW version.
Promo material for the F-150 Lightning truck emphasizes how the EV’s battery could be used to power work tools and leisure devices when you’re miles off-grid, and now Ford is bringing that same practical feature to the smaller combustion Ranger.
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Review: I Drove The Ranger Lobo Ford Should’ve Built For America
For the past few months Ford truck buyers in Europe, where the Lightning is not officially sold, as well as those in Australia, New Zealand and certain other markets, have had the option of a plug-in hybrid Ranger.
Its 277 hp (281 PS) electrified 2.3-liter inline four is mated with a 11.8 kWh battery that gives a range of 26 miles (42 km), which is less than half of what the best new plug-in cars and SUVs can do, but still makes the Ranger appealing to business users.
Battery Power for the Worksite
It’s not just the ability to cruise on electric power that gives it appeal though, or the tax advantages it brings in some countries due to its lower CO2 output. It’s what else it can do with that 11.8 kWh battery. Because the Ranger’s bi-directional charging capability is something very few plug-ins offer, and is a feature usually only found on select EVs.
Ford calls it Pro Power Onboard and it comes with a choice of two power outputs that the buyer selects when configuring the truck build. A simple version costing €1,350 ($1,560) generates 2.3 kW of juice, while truck owners looking to power lots of heavy duty equipment can step up to a 6.9 kW version. That one costs €2,000 ($2,310) and has a single 10A (2.3 kW) outlet inside the cab and a pair of 15A (3.45 kW) sockets in the bed.
Simple to Use, Ready When Needed
Pro Power Onboard is switched off by default, and in that case you only get 400W from the rear cabin outlet. Pressing the Generator button actives the system, which then allows drivers to switch on either or both of the rear outlets via the SYNC 4 touchscreen. And if the truck senses that its battery charge is running too low it will automatically fire up the 2.3-liter petrol engine to keep those amps flowing.
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It’s the kind of system that would surely appeal to some US Ranger buyers, too, but Ford has made no noises about offering a plug-in powertrain in the US version of the truck, and Pro Power Onboard isn’t available on the smaller Maverick hybrid.
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