Ford has officially confirmed that development of the next-generation Ranger is underway in Australia. The project is being led by Ford Australia, with a dedicated team of approximately 1,500 engineers currently assigned to the task.
Despite the ongoing development, the new model is not expected to debut before the end of the decade. Ford Australia president and CEO Fadi Mawal noted that the team will continue their work on the truck and related projects, such as the Everest, unless instructed otherwise.
The automaker is currently in discussions with the Australian government regarding the future of its local engineering hub. These talks follow concerns raised by Ford CEO Jim Farley about the high cost of engineering labor in Australia compared to other regions in Asia.
The next-generation Ranger is expected to feature a greater degree of electrification to comply with stricter emission regulations. While current models offer diesel, gasoline, and plug-in hybrid powertrains, the company is evaluating further hybrid options for the future.
