The ORIGINAL Electric Ranger

[James Morse]

ELECTRIC FORD RANGER: 1998-2002
For several years, an electric variant of the Ranger pickup was available. Though this was still in the very early days of electric vehicles, these EV trucks had a 65-mile range and could reach 65 miles per hour. Though they were substantially more expensive at $52,720, the electric Ranger was primarily leased for large fleets. Thanks to federal tax credits, Clean City programs, and Air Quality Management District Funding, most of the people who leased these vehicles were able to reduce the cost substantially.

The electric Ranger used the chassis of a normal four-wheel drive Ranger but had some unique features. For example, in the first year of production, the electric vehicle had carbon fiber leaf springs, but unfortunately, these springs didn’t have the stiffness needed. Steel leaf springs replaced them for future years.

At the end of the Ranger EV’s life, Ford elected not to continue manufacturing them and to crush all remaining Ranger EVs. Many of the owners were distraught over this and fought Ford to keep their vehicles. Fearing the negative PR, Ford allowed them to do so. There are still a few of these Ranger EVs out there, though their owners tend to be unwilling to part with them.

It’s estimated that as many as 400 of these electric trucks may still exist today.

History of the Ford Ranger Generations: 1983-2019 | CJ Off-Road (cjponyparts.com)

In today's dollars that'd be like $100k no wonder they weren't popular

 

[RonD]

These were made at Ford's EDISON, New Jersey, assembly plant, always thought that was cool, lol
The Edison Ranger was first, not the Tesla Car

These were an experiment, not made for retail sales, just as practical use testing in the real world via Fleet leases
Ford knew there would be issues so wanted to keep these in groups for service and repairs as needed and to get test results

 

[snoranger]

My father and uncle both worked at the Edison plant up until it closed. It was always a great sight to see when you drove past the plant… hundreds of bright shiny newly built Rangers waiting to ship to their new homes.

 

[4x4prepper]

Someone showed up at my house 10+ years ago, to buy something, and he was driving a 1st generation Ranger that he had converted to battery powered. He had a whole slew of batteries under the bed, I forget most of the details, but, he did have a manual transmission.