SA Auto Week to take place in Eastern Cape during October
Despite potential headwinds, South Africa’s automotive industry remains committed to long-term growth and resilience.
- Industry News
- 2 April 2025
Ford Motor Company of Southern 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.”
Ford’s Silverton Manufacturing Plant has been designated as the global production hub for the Ranger Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV), which is 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 a day), including approximately 200 Ranger PHEVs across various specifications in 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 376m2 assembly line and 2 116m2 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.
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,” Ockert says.
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.
Despite potential headwinds, South Africa’s automotive industry remains committed to long-term growth and resilience.
South African consumers demonstrated a strong appetite for new passenger vehicles in March, according to figures released by the Automotive Business Council (naamsa).
Just a few days after its official introduction to the South African market, the TopGear SA team, in a convoy of Nissan Navara Warriors, has embarked on a record-breaking expedition into South Africa’s most extreme hinterland.
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I always do like seeing other people dance in their cars. It's one of the things that makes me happy.
Ariel Gore
Another plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) is on its way to South Africa; this time in the form of JAC Motors’ T9 2.0L TGDI PHEV double-cab bakkie.
“We welcome the announcement by the National Treasury to allocate funds to support the local production of new-energy vehicles and batteries, as well as related manufacturing projects,” says Joubert Roux, Founder of CHARGE.
After a 4-month journey covering more than 16 000km from Morocco to South Africa, the four fully-electric Citroën Amis, La Croisière Verte (Green cruise), have successfully completed their expedition, proving the feasibility of micro-mobility and electrification across diverse terrains.