Ford Australia has sold out of its flagship plug-in hybrid (PHEV) Ranger Wildtrak after record diesel prices and aggressive price cuts triggered a spike in demand for the Blue Oval brand’s electrified dual-cab ute.
While it wouldn’t reveal specific sales numbers, Ford Australia told CarExpert that dealer stock of the current MY26 Ranger Wildtrak Hybrid is now all but exhausted, as the automaker continues to heavily promote its lineup of Ranger Hybrids (as all Ranger PHEVs are now called) after diesel fuel prices skyrocketed to record highs.
This saw diesel priced as high as $3.50/L in some parts of Australia, making it cost as much as $280 to fill the Ranger’s 80-litre fuel tank.
In response, Ford slashed prices of its MY26 Ranger Hybrid lineup – powered by a 2.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine paired with an electric motor and battery – by as much as $10,000.
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The Wildtrak Hybrid’s price fell from $79,990 before on-road costs to $70,000 drive-away.
“Our EOFY [End of Financial Year] retail offers, specifically the drive-away pricing offers, did exactly what they were designed to do: provide immediate value to customers and help us prepare for the updated model,” a Ford spokesperson told CarExpert.
Dealers are also running low on the limited-edition Stormtrak Hybrid, though Ford says there is stronger stock availability of the existing plug-in hybrid Sport and XLT grades.
“It was certainly accelerated by the increased fuel prices… there is absolutely a correlation between current fuel prices and the surging interest in the Ranger Hybrid. Australian buyers are doing the maths.”
Hybrid vehicle sales across Australia increased by 27.1 per cent year-on-year in April 2026, while PHEV sales jumped 270.2 per cent, and electric vehicle (EV) sales rose 157.2 per cent.
This helped the Ranger remain atop the sales charts over the first four months of 2026, despite an 8.2 per cent drop compared to 2025 and a 17.8 per cent fall in April compared to March 2026.
While Ford would not reveal specific sales numbers, it’s estimated around 1000 hybrid vehicles contributed to Ranger’s 3661 total last month, accounting for around one quarter of all sales.
“The demand for the Hybrid, particularly in the premium Wildtrak grade, proves that customers want the capability of a Ranger but are actively seeking the efficiency and running-cost relief that our PHEV powertrain provides.”
Ford has already announced an updated MY26.5 Ranger Hybrid dual-cab lineup, which gains a new entry-level Ranger XL Hybrid variant priced from $59,900 drive-away, undercutting the hot-selling BYD Shark 6 PHEV dual-cab.
Due in showrooms in the third quarter of 2026 (July-September), the Ranger Wildtrak Hybrid will return with a new hero colour, Ignite Orange, while retaining its $70,000 drive-away price with no other notable changes for the MY26.5 update.
Ford’s Ranger PHEV activity comes as more rivals arrive in the hybrid ute segment, including an expanded Shark 6 lineup that will include the first cab/chassis variant of the Chinese dual-cab.
BYD is also introducing a more powerful Shark 6 Performance, featuring a larger 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine and a 3500kg braked towing capacity – matching the Ranger Hybrid – priced from $62,900 before on-road costs.
Newcomer JAC will also soon release the Hunter PHEV dual-cab ute in two model grades, after announcing a starting price of “less than $50,000”.
GWM will add a plug-in hybrid version of its Cannon ute (the larger Cannon Alpha dual-cab is already offered with PHEV power), while Chery Australia will introduce its first ute by the end of this year – a yet-to-be-named dual-cab 4×4 pickup codenamed KP31 and powered by a segment-first diesel plug-in hybrid drivetrain.