As Ford pulls away from EVs here in the States, it’s doubling down elsewhere. This one has gotten our attention, though. Everyone is wondering when Ford might finally electrify the Bronco, and for the Chinese market, at least, the answer appears to be “soon.” Based on information gleaned from a filing with China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the new SUV looks like a much bigger Bronco Sport from the future.
Details on China’s electric Bronco began making the rounds Wednesday from multiple sources, including Chinese-market auto expert Tycho de Feijter. Before we touch on anything else, it’s important to convey how large this SUV is, because it’s hard to tell from images alone. At roughly 198 inches long, this Bronco is about nine inches longer than a gas four-door and has more than two feet on a Sport. It also carves a wider footprint than all Stateside models except the widened Wildtrak, and weighs around 5,800 pounds.
That’s for the fully electric model, by the way; China’s Bronco will also be sold as an extended-range EV tipping the scales at over 5,500 pounds, and that’s where things get interesting.
The pure EV is said to use a 105.4-kWh battery, good for a projected 404-mile range. (That figure should be taken with a grain of salt, as China’s testing cycle tends to produce range estimates much more optimistic than the EPA’s.) The EREV would unite a 43.7-kWh battery with a 1.5-liter engine to deliver 758 miles on a full charge and tank of gas, or 137 miles under electric power alone. Tycho reports all-wheel drive and very healthy power figures, though others claim it’s front-wheel drive only, so we’ll have to wait for more clarity there.
This China-only Bronco will be built in collaboration with Jiangling Motors, and the batteries are sourced from BYD. Our friends at Carscoops report that it’ll be called the “Bronco New Energy,” though we haven’t seen that name elsewhere. Ford will probably call it something unique, as you can buy a normal Bronco in China already.
As for how things are going for Ford here at home, in recent months the automaker has delayed the F-150 Lightning’s successor and canceled a large electric SUV previously in development. That SUV was not this Bronco for China, but you’ve got to wonder how similar it might’ve looked, and how viable a vehicle like this could still be in the U.S. The Mustang Mach-E is in its fifth year of production, and though it was an excellent first effort, a larger, more rugged-looking electric SUV with an optional gas engine to thwart range anxiety would seem to be a better fit for American sensibilities.
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