ford will launch a new Ford Ranger electric ute in the United States (US) in 2027, but the automaker says it needs to sell well enough there before considering exporting – meaning it may not come to Australia.
The US auto giant previously confirmed that its new Universal Electric Vehicle (UEV) platform will form the basis for a new mid-size car from the US state of Kentucky.
At least the ute would be priced in the US at around US$30,000 (A$45,000) like the Ford Escape SUV, a rival to the Toyota RAV4 and Mazda CX-5 that Ford has since launched in both Australia and the US.
Opposite it is the new-generation Toyota HiLux EV, which is due to launch in Australia in early 2026, although pricing has not yet been announced, as well as the upcoming Isuzu D-Max EV and the current LDV eT60 electric cars.
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The UEV platform was announced after Ford suffered billions of dollars in electric vehicle losses, leading to the recent cancellation of its Ford F-150 Lightning EV, which was expected to be as significant in 2022 as the 1908 Model T.
Automakers typically produce global platforms to spread costs between regions, something Ford has done successfully for decades by sharing parts while reducing overall development and manufacturing spending.
Ford’s planned UEV platform is modular, so that smaller electric vehicles could also be produced for Europe, for example Automotive News Europe reports that the automaker has not yet committed to exporting UEV models.
“The competitive threat we see from the Chinese in Europe is significant,” Ford CEO Jim Farley said in a media briefing earlier this month.
“It forces everyone to think about how efficiently we can invest capital and what material costs we can achieve to make these products affordable.”
This also applies to the Kentucky-made ute making its way into Australian showrooms. A new generation Ranger is expected in 2027/2028.
Accordingly Automotive News EuropeMr Farley did not completely rule out exporting the UEV platform, but said the company wanted to prove the platform could fundamentally be profitable before shipping it abroad.
“We haven’t landed the plane yet…we still have a lot of work to do,” Mr Farley said.
Ford’s latest overhaul of its EV strategy cost the company $19.5 billion (AU$29.1 billion) after several previous restructurings as it shifts focus to hybrid vehicles, including range-extended electric vehicles (REEVs).
In Australia, Ford has phased out the Escape PHEV in 2023 and is using predominantly commercial models to drive the move towards electrification.
Its first electric vehicle was the E-Transit van, which has since been followed by the E-Transit Custom, the Transit Custom PHEV and the Ranger PHEV.
The Mexican-made Mustang Mach-E EV remains the only non-commercial model with electrification in Ford Australia showrooms and has seen slow sales despite significant price cuts since launch.
MORE: Explore the Ford Ranger showroom
