The Ford Bronco has become one of the most recognizable names in the modern off road world, recently outselling the Jeep Wrangler it was designed to imitate. What most people don’t realize about Ford’s modern Bronco is a fully electric version not only exists, but can be had for as little as $32,000. Just not in North America.
The Ford Bronco New Energy is already on sale in China, combining the familiar boxy Bronco design language with battery electric and extended range electric powertrains. For anyone who spends time in the backcountry, the specifications make its absence from the US particularly frustrating.
It is worth noting the Bronco New Energy is considerably different from the body-on-frame Bronco sold in North America. It uses a unibody platform and is designed primarily for the Chinese market, although Ford has given it plenty of adventure focused equipment. While they are not the same vehicle, they are extremely similar, right down to the identical 116.1 in. wheelbase. The New Energy has available all wheel drive, a roof mounted lidar sensor, advanced driver assistance technology, a rear mounted spare tire and camping oriented features.
Electric power
The fully electric model uses a substantial 105.4 kWh LFP battery and dual electric motors, with the front putting out 175 horsepower and the rear 270 horsepower for a combined 445 horsepower, nothing to sneeze at. In electrical terms, the front motor produces 130 kW while the rear motor produces 202 kW, giving the system a combined output of 332 kW. Ford claims 650 kilometers of CLTC range, equivalent to about 404 miles. Real world range will obviously be lower, particularly at highway speeds, in cold weather, and while traveling off pavement, though this is still an impressive figure.
For those of us looking to get further form the grid, the extended range version is even more interesting. It uses a 43.7 kWh battery and a 1.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine that acts as a generator. Running purely on electric power, range is rated at a puny 137 miles. But of course the onboard generator (i.e., a range extender) helps considerably. With a full battery and gasoline tank, Ford claims a total range of approximately 1,220 kilometers, or about 758 miles. Now we’re talking.
Pricing is another standout feature. Chinese pricing starts at $32,600 US at current exchange rates for the base model extended range EV. The fully electric models start at roughly $36,900 and climb to $40,000 across five different models.
So why can’t Americans buy one?
Sadly Ford has no plans to sell the Bronco New Energy in the United States or Canada. It was developed specifically for China, and its Chinese manufacturing and supply chain would make importing it into America extremely expensive under current trade policies. The vehicle also comes from Ford’s Chinese joint venture with JMC and uses batteries supplied by BYD, creating additional complications in the current US regulatory environment.
Could it eventually happen? Possibly, but it would probably require significant changes in the market. Ford could develop a similar vehicle using American manufacturing and a US-compliant supply chain, but that would eliminate much of the cost advantage that makes the Chinese Bronco so compelling.
Ford has also confirmed that electrified Bronco products are part of its broader strategy, so a future North American model could borrow heavily from the technology developed for this vehicle while being built in a more tariff-friendly location.
More than 200 miles of electric driving followed by hundreds of additional miles using a gasoline range extender solves one of the biggest problems with electric adventure vehicles, and is the solution we’re about to see from the new Ram REV, Ford F150, VW’s Scout, and many more.
The Chinese Bronco New Energy demonstrates just how quickly the global off road market is changing. Ford already has the technology, the design and the Bronco name. The surprising part is that American customers are currently the ones who cannot buy it. The New Energy is confirmed or very strongly suspected for sale in Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa
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Images: Ford China
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