By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
The Auto Magazine
  • Home
  • Auto Shows
    Auto ShowsShow More
    Multifaceted MasterDrive at Simola
    April 24, 2025
    OMODA & JAECOO accelerate 2025 NEV strategy with bold debuts at Auto Shanghai
    April 24, 2025
    GWM Unveils its Global Strategy at Auto Shanghai 2025
    April 24, 2025
    Maserati takes part in Anantara Concorso Roma 2025
    April 23, 2025
    Knysna Motor Show goes Cars@Coffee on 27 April, 2025
    April 20, 2025
  • Bikes
    BikesShow More
    BMW Motorrad presents the new R 18 models
    January 22, 2025
    BMW Motorrad presents the BMW Concept F 450 GS
    November 5, 2024
    BMW Motorrad presents the new bikes
    November 1, 2024
    24YM HONDA NX500
    October 15, 2024
    BMW Motorrad presents the new BMW C 400 GT and BMW C 400 X
    October 15, 2024
  • News
    NewsShow More
    Chery launches LEPAS brand with L8 luxury SUV, ushering in a new premium era
    April 25, 2025
    NADA Applauds Move to Support Stability and Ease Pressure on Consumers
    April 24, 2025
    Automechanika Sub-Saharan Africa Roadshow Expands Automotive Aftermarket Possibilities
    April 24, 2025
    AK47 PROTECTION FOR JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE (WITH WARRANTY INTACT!)
    April 24, 2025
    Ford Silverton Manufacturing Plant Green Initiatives a Step Closer to Carbon Neutrality
    April 23, 2025
  • Concepts
    ConceptsShow More
    Audi unveils Q6 e-tron offroad concept
    January 28, 2025
    CITROEN PRESENTS C5 AIRCROSS CONCEPT
    October 15, 2024
    Lotus Unveils Theory 1:  The Future Of Intelligent Performance
    September 23, 2024
    First sketches of Škoda Enyaq RS Race
    May 3, 2024
    W16 Mistral: the art of bringing Bugatti’s ultimate roadster to life
    January 24, 2024
  • EVs
    EVsShow More
    RANGE ROVER ELECTRIC PROTOTYPES EXCEL IN LATEST WINTER TESTING AND DEVELOPMENT CYCLE
    April 25, 2025
    ELECTRIFIED LUXURY REDEFINED: THE ALL-NEW LEXUS ES
    April 24, 2025
    Volvo EX90 claims World Luxury Car title
    April 17, 2025
    DFSK South Africa rolls out EC35 Electric Panel Van
    April 15, 2025
    The all-new electric G-Class
    April 10, 2025
  • Motosport
    MotosportShow More
    Castrol, NWM, Ford and bp Join Forces for 2025 South African Rally-Raid Championship
    April 25, 2025
    BEHIND THE SCENES WITH GILLY DYKES: DUST, GRIT AND DETERMINATION
    April 24, 2025
    Fouriesburg Rally Shifts to Spring
    April 23, 2025
    TOYOTA GAZOO RACING JUNIOR ACADEMY EYES MORE GLORY AT ROTAX NATIONAL ROUND 2
    April 23, 2025
    FINAL COUNTDOWN COMMENCES FOR SOUTH AFRICAN SAFARI RALLY
    April 22, 2025
  • Trucks & Buses
    Trucks & BusesShow More
    HINO ONCE AGAIN ANSWERS FARMERS’ CALL FOR HELP
    April 24, 2025
    Daimler Truck Southern Africa appoints Wolf Edmayr as the General Manager of TruckStore
    March 28, 2025
    ISUZU Motors South Africa Celebrates 60 Years of Isuzu Trucks in South Africa
    March 3, 2025
    Itumeleng Segage, General Manager of Hino South Africa
    HINO SCORES MORE THAN 99% IN ALL FOUR CUSTOMER CARE SURVEY CATEGORIES
    February 5, 2025
    UD TRUCKS SOUTHERN AFRICA DEEPENS ITS COMMITMENT
    January 28, 2025
  • Reviews
    ReviewsShow More
    Tow Like a Pro with the Ford Ranger
    April 10, 2025
    MEET THE ALL-NEW LEXUS GX: A PREMIUM OFF-ROADER REIMAGINED
    April 8, 2025
    Aston Martin Vanquish Volante: The world’s fastest, most powerful front-engine convertible
    March 29, 2025
    The legend grows: introducing the Toyota Hilux Hybrid 48v and GR SPORT II
    March 29, 2025
    THE ALL-NEW GWM P300 – BRING IT ON!
    March 3, 2025
  • Tech
    TechShow More
    Chery unveils AiMOGA: Revolutionising the car-buying experience through intelligent robotics
    April 24, 2025
    Volvo Cars uses AI and virtual worlds with the aim to create safer cars
    March 21, 2025
    Chery drives AI innovation with DeepSeek partnership
    March 3, 2025
    Stellantis Unveils STLA AutoDrive
    February 20, 2025
    Mercedes-Benz and Google Partner on AI-powered Conversational Search within Navigation Systems
    January 14, 2025
Hot News
Chery launches LEPAS brand with L8 luxury SUV, ushering in a new premium era
RANGE ROVER ELECTRIC PROTOTYPES EXCEL IN LATEST WINTER TESTING AND DEVELOPMENT CYCLE
Castrol, NWM, Ford and bp Join Forces for 2025 South African Rally-Raid Championship
Multifaceted MasterDrive at Simola
ELECTRIFIED LUXURY REDEFINED: THE ALL-NEW LEXUS ES
Latest News

Kia announces August 2024 global sales results

Motosport

Hyundai Motor Aiming for Third Straight Win in Nürburgring 24 Hours Endurance Race

Reviews

Bugatti Bolide: engineered to the highest safety standards

Latest News

Hyundai Motor Reports March 2024 Global Sales

Font ResizerAa
The Auto MagazineThe Auto Magazine
  • Home
  • Auto Shows
  • Bikes
  • News
  • Concepts
  • EVs
  • Motosport
  • Trucks & Buses
  • Reviews
  • Tech
Search
  • Home
  • Auto Shows
  • Bikes
  • News
  • Concepts
  • EVs
  • Motosport
  • Trucks & Buses
  • Reviews
  • Tech
Follow US
Crafted by Intellegere Media. © 2024 The Auto Magazine. All rights reserved.
Latest News

Ford’s Silverton Manufacturing Plant Undergoes Upgrades to Support Production of Ranger Plug-in Hybrid

Itumeleng Garebatshabe
Last updated: March 28, 2025 11:06
By Itumeleng Garebatshabe
119 Views
7 Min Read
Share
7 Min Read
SHARE
  • Production of Ford’s first-ever Ranger Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) underway at Ford’s Silverton Manufacturing Plant – the only Plant in the world that produces this new model
  • Ranger PHEV production follows major investment in Silverton manufacturing operations, including construction of Battery Assembly Plant, upgrades to Chassis Plant, Stamping Plant, Body Shop and TCF (Trim, Chassis and Final Assembly)
  • Silverton Plant advancing sustainability efforts through water and waste recycling, a large-scale solar project, and a commitment to zero carbon emissions
  • Paint Shop being expanded and modernised to improve painting processes, quality and energy efficiency

Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa (Manufacturing) (Pty) Ltd (Ford South Africa) has begun full-scale production of the first-ever Ford Ranger Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) at its Silverton Manufacturing Plant.

The Ranger PHEV, exclusively produced in South Africa for global export, is a key component of Ford’s global sustainability strategy. This is supported by the Silverton Plant’s efforts to adopt more environmentally friendly and sustainable manufacturing processes.

“The addition of the high-tech new Ranger PHEV to our production portfolio is an important milestone in Ford’s manufacturing history in South Africa,” says Ockert Berry, VP Operations, Ford South Africa. “This makes the Silverton Manufacturing Plant central to Ford’s Ranger sustainability efforts, as we are the global source for both the new plug-in hybrid and the established Ranger line-up exported to over 100 markets.”

Ranger PHEV: Global Production from Ford’s South African Hub

Ford’s Silverton Manufacturing Plant has been designated the global production hub for the Ranger Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV), a testament to the facility’s significant upgrades and enhanced adaptability. Producing the PHEV alongside the Ranger expands its global reach, with key upgrades and highlights including:

  • Silverton’s capacity is 200,000 vehicles annually (720/day), including approximately 200 Ranger PHEVs across various specifications and both left- and right-hand drive.
  • Europe is the primary export region for the Ranger, including the PHEV from 2025, building on its 10-year reign as the best-selling pickup. Ranger PHEV marks Ford’s first Ranger exports to Australia and New Zealand from Silverton.
  • A new PHEV Battery Assembly Plant, featuring a 1,376 m2 assembly line and 2,116 m2 logistics warehouse enables 62,000 annual battery pack production, integrating advanced handling, testing, and Ford-first innovations, including a hybrid conveyor system for improved ergonomics and quality.
  • Pioneering battery pack testing, using vacuum testing with differential noise cancellation, eliminates environmental interference. This facility is among the first to separate low voltage, vacuum leak, and high voltage testing for enhanced production quality and safety.
  • Incremental upgrades across the Silverton plant support the Ranger PHEV, incorporating high-tech manufacturing and automation. 
  • The adjacent Chassis Plant in the Tshwane Automotive SEZ, the only Ford-owned facility of its kind, added sub-assembly lines for PHEV chassis and component integration, while boosting production efficiency.
  • Ford South Africa’s 10,320m2 Stamping Plant introduced new dies for the PHEV charging port, while the 44,000m2 Body Shop gained a new load box floor line to accommodate the battery pack (raising the load floor by only 31mm).
  • The Trim, Chassis and Final Assembly (TCF) line was modified to integrate PHEV components, including a new battery sub-assembly line. Dedicated areas ensure high-voltage work meets safety standards.

Launching in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand in 2025, the South African-made Ranger PHEV combines a 2.3L EcoBoost engine with a 75kW electric motor and 11.8kWh battery. It maintains the Ranger’s 3,500kg towing capacity and introduces Pro Power Onboard.

Environmental efforts

Along with the extensive Silverton Manufacturing Plant upgrades to support the Ranger PHEV global production, significant changes are being implemented throughout the facility, reinforcing Ford South Africa’s commitment to sustainability. 

“We have implemented an extensive range of waste reduction and recycling initiatives, including a new water recycling project in the Paint Shop that conserves around 14,400m³ of water annually, and we have plans to expand recycled water usage across the Plant,” Berry says.

A new scrap yard has been constructed that increases the amount of cardboard, paper and plastic waste that is sorted on site and recycled, in line with Ford’s objective of reaching zero waste to landfill across its worldwide operations. The Silverton Plant team continues to investigate other alternatives for its waste to turn this into a sustainable by-product that can benefit both the environment and future business opportunities.

All such initiatives are complemented by the Silverton Manufacturing Plant’s pioneering solar carpark, which uses more than 30,000 solar panels to generate 13.4MW of electricity – sufficient to power the entire Plant during the day. 

“We are very close to bolstering our solar system with other alternative energy and storage supplies that will take us a big step closer to exclusively using carbon-free electricity for all of our manufacturing operations,” Berry says. 

The Silverton Plant’s Paint Shop is also undergoing extensive upgrades that will further improve the paint application processes and quality, while achieving greater energy efficiency. 

The installation of a sophisticated new pre-treatment electro-dipping system is underway as a critical step in modernising the facility, contributing to improved paint quality and durability. Phased installations are planned to ensure minimal disruption to current production volumes.

“This truly is a Built Ford Proud moment as every Ford Ranger we produce, including the advanced new Ranger PHEV, benefits from these wide-ranging environmental upgrades and improvements,” Berry says. “It positions the Silverton Plant as a leader in creating a more environmentally conscious and sustainable manufacturing ecosystem.”

TAGGED:Ford RangerFord Ranger Plug-in Hybrid Electric VehicleFord South AfricaPHEV

Sign Up For Daily Newsletter

Stay Updated! Get the latest breaking news delivered straight to your inbox.

By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
Share This Article
Facebook Whatsapp Whatsapp LinkedIn VKontakte Telegram Email Copy Link Print
Share
ByItumeleng Garebatshabe
Editor
Follow:
Itumeleng is the Managing Editor of The Auto Magazine. He is a tech and car enthusiast

Follow US

FacebookLike
XFollow
InstagramFollow
YoutubeSubscribe
TiktokFollow
TelegramFollow
Google NewsFollow
LinkedInFollow

You Might Also Like

Latest News

NEXT-GENERATION FORD RANGER LINE-UP EXPANDS 

By Itumeleng Garebatshabe
April 4, 2023
Latest News

SVI’S UPGRADED (FORD-APPROVED) STOPGUN V3.0 KIT FOR THE RANGER

By Itumeleng Garebatshabe
April 9, 2024
Latest News

Ford 100: A century of motorsport in South Africa, and around the world

By Itumeleng Garebatshabe
December 6, 2023
Latest News

Ford Launches Three Centenary Education Projects in South Africa to Benefit Youth of All Ages

By Itumeleng Garebatshabe
November 9, 2023
Reviews

Tow Like a Pro with the Ford Ranger

By Itumeleng Garebatshabe
April 10, 2025
Latest News

Ford South Africa Celebrates Millionth Ranger Produced at Silverton Manufacturing Plant

By Itumeleng Garebatshabe
June 4, 2024

The Auto Magazine

  • Advertise
  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookie Policy
  • Bikes
  • Electric Vehicles
  • Trucks & Buses
  • Auto Shows
  • Latest News
  • Motosport

Crafted by Intellegere Media. All rights reserved. 2024

Don't not sell my personal information
Join Us!
Subscribe to our newsletter and never miss our latest news, podcasts etc.

Zero spam, Unsubscribe at any time.
adbanner