Ford CEO Farley’s Tweet Hints at Electric Bronco
Photo: Ford
A spark is all you need to start a fire, and it took Ford Motor Company CEO Jim Farley just one curt question to set the beacons of rumor and speculation alight. In only six words on Twitter, Farley has signaled that Ford may very well already be working on an electric version of the all-new Bronco.
The Bronco is Back: The off-roading icon finally returns this summer, available to order now
Farley put his spark to the fetid oil slick that is Twitter last week. A self-described shareholder — who currently goes by the handle “Powered by Tesla,” no less — pressed the CEO by asking why Ford doesn’t offer “an EV opinion on the new product like the Bronco.” Which is nearly almost a coherent sentence.
Farley’s answer was simple, to the point, and grammatically correct: “Why do you think we don’t?”
Were you to react to this retort in emoji form, it might look a little something like this: ???.
Ford Bronco hybrid likely coming soon
Photo: Ford
And it’s certainly a fair question on Farley’s behalf. At this stage in the game, there’s no reason to suspect that Ford isn’t already well into development on an electric version of the Bronco.
Ford confirmed two years ago that it will offer a hybrid version of the Bronco at some point. A prototype of that SUV has been spotted testing, so that point may be sooner rather than later. The Bronco shares its platform with the Ford Ranger, which may get a plug-in hybrid variant in its next generation.
A fully electric Bronco would require a separate platform from the T6. Farley spoke with MotorTrend last week, saying that Ford has multiple dedicated electric platforms in the works.
“The center point for our businesses is two- and three-row crossovers, pickup trucks, and vans. All have distinct requirements that require a different ground-up battery electric solution. Those vehicles are the next wave,” Farley said. “The Mustang Mach-E is the first on our utility platform, but we have more coming, and the platform will continue to evolve.”
Electric Bronco would help Ford pace rivals
Photo: Stellantis
Beyond how Ford has set up the Bronco for futureproofing, making an electric version makes sense for keeping up with the Joneses. The Bronco’s most obvious direct competitor, the Jeep Wrangler, already has a plug-in hybrid on the market. Jeep also revealed the Wrangler Magneto electric concept in March at the Easter Jeep Safari, suggesting that a production Wrangler EV is not far behind.
An electric Ford Bronco would also vie against the GMC Hummer EV SUV, which like the Bronco is being hailed for its off-roading prowess. It’s fair to assume that a Bronco EV would start significantly below the Hummer’s $80,000 base price, giving Ford an edge over GMC in terms of broader market reach.
With the all-electric F-150 Lightning debuting May 19, Ford has made it clear that every viable vehicle in the lineup is on the table for electrification. Given Ford’s aim to offer a fully electric lineup sometime within the next decade or two, it’s likely more a matter of when than if.
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Kyle S. Johnson lives in Cincinnati, a city known by many as “the Cincinnati of Southwest Ohio.” He enjoys professional wrestling, Halloween, and also other things. He has been writing for a while, and he plans to continue to write well into the future. See more articles by Kyle.