Ford has confirmed that the 2024 Ranger Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) for the Australian market will be sourced from its Silverton assembly plant in Gqeberha, South Africa (formerly known as Port Elizabeth).
The Blue Oval brand is celebrating its 100-year legacy in South Africa by investing R5.2 billion (US$272 million) in the production of the plug-in Ranger.
This includes a new battery pack assembly plant that is being constructed within the Silverton plant for the PHEV system.
Ford’s Chassis Plant in the Tshwane Automotive Special Economic Zone (TASEZ) is also being upgraded to accommodate the unique chassis configuration for the Ranger PHEV, including changes to the robots, welding equipment, control systems, conveyors and skids.
The vehicle assembly operations are also being adapted to accommodate the Ranger PHEV, specifically on the Trim, Chassis and Final (TCF) line. This includes changes to the handling equipment, turnover fixtures, charging systems, leak detection and testing equipment, as well as a new repair area.
Ford says the Paint Shop at the Silverton plant is being revamped to further improve paint quality and first time through (FTT) for all vehicles produced in South Africa. This will guarantee the highest levels of customer satisfaction and consistently deliver the required production volumes.
“The additional investment in the Silverton Assembly Plant for the Ranger Plug-in Hybrid takes our total manufacturing investment in South Africa over the past 14 years to around $1.72 billion, or nearly R33 billion,” says Andrea Cavallaro, Operations director, Ford International Markets Group.
“It signals our commitment to the country, our employees and our extensive supplier network.”
Ford currently employs approximately 5,200 people in South Africa. The local operations support around 60,000 jobs in the total value chain amongst supplier companies and contributes more than 1% to South Africa’s GDP.
The Silverton Assembly Plant has an installed capacity to produce 720 vehicles per day over three shifts, or 200,000 vehicles per year. It currently supplies all of the Ranger models produced to markets in Africa and Europe.
