Ford is believed to be bringing a member of its growing Bronco family to Australia, but it’s not what you might think.
The Ford Bronco New Energy is the newest member of the Bronco sub-brand and began production this month in China, where it is manufactured by the JMC-Ford joint venture. This unibody SUV is offered as either an electric vehicle (EV) or an extended-range electric vehicle (EREV).
It follows the Bronco body-on off-roader and the midsize gasoline-powered Bronco sport crossover SUV, both of which have already been in production for at least four years.
While these models remain excluded from our market due to strong demand in the US and lack of right-hand drive production, the Bronco New Energy is shaping up to be the first Bronco-badged model in Australia since the 1980s.
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Wheelsboy reports that the Bronco New Energy is headed to markets like Australia, Southeast Asia, South America and the Middle East, although it reportedly won’t be coming to the U.S. (which already gets the Bronco and Bronco Sport) or Europe (which gets the Bronco and is reportedly getting its own Bronco-badged midsize SUV).
Ford Australia would not confirm the accuracy of this report.
“The Bronco New Energy is an exciting addition to Ford’s global range, adding a new energy powertrain to one of the world’s most iconic brand names,” a Ford Australia spokesperson said.
“Ford Australia is continually evaluating options to expand our offering to customers, but we are unable to share any news about future products at this time.”
However, Daily Sparkz is clear that it will come here and that other Chinese-built Fords could come along.
The Bronco New Energy is a large SUV with a unified body, unlike the ladder frame-based Bronco, which shares its Australian-developed T6 architecture with the Ranger ute and Everest large SUVs.
The largest Bronco to date is 5025 mm long, 1960 mm wide and 1825 mm high and has a wheelbase of 2950 mm. This makes it 101mm longer, up to 37mm wider, but 45-55mm lower than the Everest, with a 50mm longer wheelbase, but despite its larger dimensions it only seats five.
The ground clearance is between 215 mm and 220 mm, with a fording depth of 600 mm. Depending on the variant, available off-road equipment includes front and rear locking differentials, several off-road modes and an off-road crawl mode.
The curb weight is up to 2,630 kg, with the large SUV equipped with a double wishbone front axle and a five-link rear suspension.
The electric variants feature a huge 105.4kWh battery, while the extended range versions use a smaller 43.7kWh battery and a turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine as a step-up.
The total power is 332 kW and 575 Nm for the EVs with an electric range of 650 km in the CLTC cycle and 310 kW/600 Nm for the EREVs with an electric range of 220 km.
Inside, there’s an 8.8-inch digital instrument cluster and a 15.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system.
Available luxury features include an augmented reality head-up display, a 7.5-liter refrigerator, a 21-speaker sound system, a panoramic sunroof, and power front seats with heating, ventilation, and massage. Even a pop-up roof is available.
There is a comprehensive range of active safety and driver assistance technology based on a combination of radar, sensors and a LiDAR unit.
Ford has two joint ventures in China: one with Jiangling Motors and the other with Changan.
The JMC-Ford joint venture produces not only the Bronco New Energy, but also the mid-size SUV Equator Sport and the large Equator.
The Equator Sport is already being exported to one right-hand drive market: South Africa, where it is called the Territory.
In South Africa, where it was launched in 2024 before the facelift, the only engine available is a 1.8-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine with 138kW/318Nm and a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox, giving it fuel consumption of 7.0L/100km on the NEDC cycle.
However, a front-wheel drive plug-in hybrid powertrain has been introduced in China as part of a facelift, combining a 160kW/315Nm electric motor with a 110kW/240Nm 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol engine and an 18.4kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery. The stated electric range is 95 km on the WLTC cycle.
The Equator Sport is similar in size to the Escape, features MacPherson struts at the front and a multi-link rear suspension, and is available exclusively in front-wheel drive.
It is unclear whether the Changan Ford joint venture will also produce right-hand drive Fords.
Changan Ford produces models such as the mid-sized Mondeo and Mondeo Sport cars as well as the large SUVs Edge L and Explorer, among others, and exports left-hand drive vehicles to the Middle East, among others.
Changan also has a joint venture with Mazda, which will supply our market with the mid-size Mazda 6e liftback next year; The Chinese giant also owns the Deepal brand.
Either the Edge L or Explorer would give Ford Australia a direct competitor to the Toyota Kluger, something that hasn’t happened since the Territory ended production in 2016.
Ford Australia has gaping holes in its SUV lineup after axing the Puma light SUV in 2024 and the Escape midsize SUV in 2023. This followed the demise of the Canadian-built Endura large SUV in 2020.
Ford is understood to have continued to have problems delivering vehicles from Europe, including the Puma and Escape, while costs such as freight undoubtedly undermined its ability to sell European-built vehicles profitably here.
In December 2024, Ford announced plans to bring the electric Puma Gen-E here, citing “economic trends, material costs, consumer incentives and global supply chain” as factors that influence “whether a vehicle’s business case proves successful.”
In short, Ford probably wouldn’t have been able to sell the Puma Gen-E at a competitive enough price in a part of the market that’s full of budget Chinese offerings.
As a result of the cuts and axes, Ford Australia now only has two SUVs: the mid-size electric Mustang Mach-E, which is made in Mexico, and the large off-road SUV Everest, which is built alongside the Ranger in Thailand.
Should Ford release models like the Bronco New Energy and Equator Sport here, it would be just the latest non-Chinese brand to sell a Chinese-built vehicle Down Under.
In addition to models such as the Kia EV5 and the upcoming Mazda 6e, Nissan Australia is also planning to introduce the Frontier Pro plug-in hybrid dual-cab model developed with its Dongfeng joint venture, while Hyundai Australia has opted for the Elexio electric SUV developed for China.
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