Texasota

The electric motor inside in F-150's R10 transmission is only 47 HP but the Ranger PHEV has the same R10 transmission setup and it's electric motor is 100 HP. Don't know if it could be increased further.

Ford seems to be doing exactly that with the HF55 transmission (https://fordauthority.com/2025/01/2025-ford-maverick-transmissions-everything-you-need-to-know/).

It is going to be fascinating to see how this plays out. Initial testing results and physical laws indicate this use case is where EREVs are going to fail miserably compared to ICE or hybrid.

100% agree. I think they will succeed on their own when solid state batteries become common.

The thing about this Ranger PHEV implementation that concerns me is the serious de-rating they did to the 2.3 Ecoboost. When the smallish battery pack becomes nearly depleted on a modest towing trip you now have a Ranger that is handicapped with an under powered ICE the same way that EREVs are. I don't think this Ranger PHEV implementation would be a good towing vehicle for my 4000 lb boat. On a positive note, I don't believe Ford would de-rate the 2.3 on a North American implementation of a Ranger PHEV. If they did, then it would not be received well (at least not for customers that want to tow). I really want a Ranger PHEV, but I would not purchase this one.

It is my understanding that the speed limit recognition system utilizes the connected navigation but it also has camera recognition of the physical speed limit signs. Does the camera recognition of speed limit signs also end after three years?

That would certainly make for a sleek/stylish Escape. But if you want to be able to haul anything in it, then this would not work for most Escape buyers. Our Escape is used for driving to our snowbirding location and this would not work at all. Not practical or utilitarian.

Only speculation on my part, but I am guessing they are frantically tweaking software trying to make this fatally compromised truck work. It likely is not competitive as a BEV truck (short EV range), not competitive as a hybrid truck (grossly overweight) and not competitive as an ICE truck (inefficient and under powered when battery is depleted). Software will not be able to overcome this. I think Ford really got it right with the F-150 Powerboost. It is not compromised in any measure and will run circles around the Ram EREV.

The overall frenzy by the media and climate advocates put immense pressure on manufactures as well. Toyota was crucified for not quickly jumping into the EV frenzy. Turns out they were right about how this was going to play out.

@akirby, can you invite rperez17 back?

Anyone notice the squircle wheel wells? They are not round which is very unusual for Ford. Maybe a first?

This. Unless Ford replaces the Escape HEV/PHEV with something just as good, then Ford no longer sells an efficient and practical vehicle for me. I don't give a rip about the Escape being boring, it meets my needs perfectly.

I gotta say, I think it looks cool!

Which is what Trump is trying to achieve with the Tariffs. Honda and Hyundai are already making similar moves.

This article suggest we might: https://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/ford/2025/03/27/ford-ranger-pickup-sales-toyota-tacoma/82521315007/ According to that article we may see a conventional Ranger hybrid (maybe similar to F-150 Powerboost) or a Ranger EREV. I think that is likely given that Farley has said all Ford Blue vehicles will have a hybrid version by 2030. I'm guessing we will more likely see a Ranger Powerboost since all the required tech is sitting on the shelf and would be easy to add to the Ranger. A Ranger EREV, IMO, would have to much overlap with the new CE1 BEV pickup. But I could be biased and wrong because of my skepticism towards EREVs.