- The Ford Bronco New Energy is a midsized electrified crossover made by JMC-Ford specifically for China.
- It will be available in both full EV and EREV (with a gas engine) variants.
- The Bronco New Energy will start at $32,500 in China for a base model EREV model.
Ford is an odd duck these days. In the midst of making a huge show of canceling the F-150 Lightning and other future electric vehicles, it has released an electrified version of one of its most popular nameplates—but only in China.
The Bronco New Energy is meant to go head to head with some of the biggest sellers from BYD, Nio, Jetour and others vying for a surprisingly large amount of Chinese buyers who have discovered the love of nature and the cars that get them there.
Initial impressions of the China-only (so far) electrified Bronco are starting to roll in from Chinese media, and things are looking promising. The YouTube Channel Telescope got its hands on one, and its impressions are of a manufacturer that is finally trying to take China seriously.
For starters, you should know that the Bronco New Energy is available both as a conventional electric SUV and as an extended-range EV (EREV) with a gas generator that feeds the battery. The latter is already a popular powertrain in China and seems poised to take off elsewhere too. Ford says the next F-150 Lightning will be an EREV with 700 miles of range.
This Bronco is sort of a Ford-based product, but not quite. Made in China, much of its mechanical bits come from Ford’s Chinese joint venture partner, Jiangling Motors, or JMC. For a lot of markets outside of the U.S. and Europe, JMC produces some small crossover products with Ford badging and styling, but mostly JMC mechanicals. It is styled to look very similar to the full-fat Bronco and Bronco Sport available in the States, but it shares little with the Ford vehicles we get here.
Power comes either from a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine and 43.7-kWh battery in the EREV version, or just a roughly 105-kWh battery in the full EV model. Whichever you choose, you’re getting electric motors turning both axles. For Telescope’s video, the channel had access to the EREV model.
Telescope, whose real name is Sean Zhou, is generally positive about the Bronco New Energy’s ergonomics and features, particularly its camper-style roof that can raise up. “I would buy this car just because of this roof option; it’s so interesting, and so Ford,” he said. Features like this facilitate the trend in China of buyers (specifically young people) camping their cars, albeit just for a weekend getaway.
Zhou’s time with the Bronco EREV did include some off-road bits. Zhou was a little less positive on that front, partially because his time started with the battery at a low state of charge. This meant the Bronco’s engine was constantly on, trying to keep the battery topped up and the vehicle moving. Thus, the Bronco EREV's output is limited to however fast it can sustain the car’s demand for electric power. And a 150-horsepower engine just can’t give all that much power to the car’s 415-horsepower twin electric motor setup.
Zhou also felt let down by the Bronco EREV's refinement when driving on regular roads. In EV mode the crossover is generally good, but in range extended mode, the noise, vibration and harshness is a lot more pronounced than other models.
“If you’ve been exposed to cars like the Li Auto range extended SUVs…I consider them world-class and unbeatable, but this [Bronco EREV] is a significant distance from that,” he said. Still, he remained positive. The Li Auto’s gas engine may be nearly imperceptible, but the Bronco EREV’s isn’t bad.
In all, Zhou thinks the Bronco is a good car—specifically for us Americans. He sees the Bronco EREV as a stepping stone for people who are caught up on the standard Bronco (and big trucks) but don’t like the fuel bills. This car could be that answer, especially since Ford is convinced that its clientele aren’t all that willing to go full electric.
That’s a nice thought, but I think that assumes that the Bronco EREV is coming here. Given the fact it’s a car mostly developed by Ford’s Chinese joint venture partner, it would be a pain to get compliant given new rules on Chinese-developed software and hardware. We know Ford wants to give us an EREV soon, but it likely won’t be this one.
On the flip side, the Bronco New Energy shows that Ford is actively trying something new in China. Rather than port over global EV models that aren’t resonating, like the Mustang Mach-E, it’s starting from scratch while keeping some of the hallmark things the brand is known for. From what I’ve gathered from Zhou’s video, this electrified Bronco seems like it has a fighting chance in China’s highly competitive market.
And, given all the tumult in its EV plans lately, that’s a good thing for Ford.
Contact the author: kevin.williams@insideevs.com
