Cody U. 
The 2023 Ford Ranger Raptor debuted in February and is headed stateside as soon as next year. Production is slated to begin next spring in Michigan and it will sport a respectable 392 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque via the 3.0L EcoBoost engine. However, there is always room for improvement.
In a sit down conversation with Wheels out of Australia, Program Director for icons and Ford Performance, Ali Jammoul revealed the Ranger is expected to gain more horsepower and feature a hybrid engine at some point in the near future. In short, Jammoul shares the company has built in space for additional capability. As touched on before, the T6.2 platform is one that’s ready for anything, including electrification. This could mean a Ford Ranger or Ford Ranger Raptor hybrid in the future, as first pointed out by a leaked product timeline that has the T6.2 Ranger charted to 2031.
Meanwhile, the 2023 Ranger (non-Raptor) is being tested with a plug-in hybrid engine in Europe. It doesn’t appear to be a question of “if” the Ranger Raptor will sport hybrid or full on electrification underpinnings, but a matter of how and when. In terms of hybrid options, Jammoul points to the 2.3L, 2.7L and 3.0L engines at Ford Motor Company. It’s unclear if they will join the “Powerboost” family as seen with the 3.5L EcoBoost and battery assistance in the F-150.
Less fuel and more power seems to be the name of the game these days. But, implementing an electric powertrain means adding a considerable amount of weight, as well as integrating an entire supply chain that still requires further stability. Jammoul acknowledges this by saying the company may add weight in certain places, but remove it in others in order to compensate. In a market where vehicle prices are inflating, supply chains remain tight, and ATP continues to remain high, electrification and lightweighting sounds expensive for a midsize truck. So how Ford will alleviate this will be something to look for.
