Yes, there’s more news on the Bronco front. In all honesty, I think this past week should be called the “Bronco Week”. This time, the news is regarding a Bronco Hybrid. A video uploaded by “Input” on their YouTube channel shows the instrument cluster and the SYNC system. In one of the frames, you can see an “EV Coaching” dial. This can only mean that a Bronco hybrid is in the making.
A Hybrid Bronco Could Further Spice Things Up
The outlet uploaded the video on its channel, although its origins are not known yet. The video seems to be created by either Ford or an outsourced agency. The two-minute video shows a digital instrument cluster as well as the touchscreen infotainment system that starts displaying various drive modes, features, and other relevant MID data.
Ford Has Declined To Talk About The Bronco Hybrid Now But Has Confirmed It In The Past
Motor1 tried to reach out to Ford regarding this but the company declined to comment on it. Instead, Ford’s spokesperson, Sam Schembari, told the outlet, "We’re excited by the interest in the all-new Bronco’s digital gauges and look forward to sharing more information later. As we announced Monday, the 2.3-liter and 2.7-liter EcoBoost engine lineup is best suited to support customers’ off-roading needs,". Quite cryptic. However, this does confirm that the hybrid powertrain will be for the Bronco and not the Bronco Sport; if the powertrain is still under development, that is.
Ford may have declined it at this point, but AutoEvolution published a transcript from Ford’s Annual Shareholders Meeting held in May 2019 where CEO Jim Hackett said,
How Much Power Can We Expect From The Hybrid Bronco?
Ford has plans to launch the 2022 Ranger with a hybrid powertrain. It is expected to be powered by a 2.3-liter, turbocharged mill paired to an electric motor that will churn out 362 horses and 502 pound-feet of torque. The current Ranger with the 2.3-liter mill makes 270 horses and 310 pound-feet of torque. A simple breakdown would mean that the hybrid system adds a power boost of 92 horses and 192 pound-feet of torque. If Ford is to carry the same system, then we’re looking at the same figures even in the hybrid Bronco. >
A Bronco hybrid is imperative for Ford since Jeep will be coming out with a Wrangler plug-in hybrid called the Wrangler 4xe. The Blue Oval may decline to answer at this point, but the carparazzis have now gotten a whiff of this news and will keep an eagle eye on anything that smells of a Bronco hybrid.
Do you think a Bronco hybrid will reap more benefits for Ford before an all-electric model is launched later in the future? Let us know your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below.
Final Thoughts