Ford is understood to be bringing a member of its expanding Bronco family to Australia, but it’s not the one you might think.
The Ford Bronco New Energy is the latest member of the Bronco sub-brand, having entered production this month in China where it’s manufactured by the JMC-Ford joint venture. This unibody SUV is offered as either an electric vehicle (EV) or extended-range electric vehicle (EREV).
It follows the body-on-frame Bronco off-roader and mid-size petrol-powered Bronco Sport crossover SUV, both of which have already been in production for at least four years.
While those models have continued to be ruled out for our market due to strong US demand and a lack of right-hand drive production, the Bronco New Energy is shaping up as the first Bronco-badged model in Australia since the 1980s.
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Wheelsboy reports the Bronco New Energy is headed to markets including Australia, Southeast Asia, South America and the Middle East, though it reportedly won’t go to the US (which already gets the Bronco and Bronco Sport) or Europe (which gets the Bronco and is reportedly getting its own Bronco-badged mid-size SUV).
Ford Australia wouldn’t confirm the accuracy of this report.
“The Bronco New Energy is an exciting addition to the global Ford line-up, adding a new energy drivetrain to one of the world’s most iconic nameplates,” said a Ford Australia spokesperson.
“Ford Australia is always evaluating options to expand our line-up for customers, but we have no news to share about future products at this time.”
However, CarExpert understands it’ll come here, and could be joined by other Chinese-built Fords.
The Bronco New Energy is a large unibody SUV, unlike the ladder-frame based Bronco that shares its Australian-developed T6 architecture with the Ranger ute and Everest large SUV.
The largest Bronco yet, it measures 5025mm long, 1960mm wide and 1825mm tall on a 2950mm wheelbase. That makes it 101mm longer, up to 37mm wider but 45-55mm lower than the Everest, on a 50mm longer wheelbase, but despite its greater dimensions it seats only five.
Ground clearance is between 215mm and 220mm, with a wading depth of 600mm. Available off-road equipment, depending on the variant, includes locking front and rear differentials, multiple terrain modes, and an off-road crawl mode.
Kerb weight is as high as 2630kg, with the large SUV riding on double-wishbone front and five-link rear suspension.
Electric variants have a huge 105.4kWh battery, while extended-range versions use a smaller 43.7kWh battery plus a turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine that tops it up.
Total outputs are 332kW and 575Nm in the EVs, with 650km of electric range on the CLTC cycle, and 310kW/600Nm in the EREVs, which have 220km of electric range.
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, 7.5L fridge, 21-speaker sound system, a panoramic sunroof, and power-adjustable front seats with heating, ventilation and massage. A pop-top roof is even available.
There’s a full suite of active safety and driver assist technology, powered by a combination of radar, sensors, and a LiDAR unit.
Ford maintains two joint ventures in China: one with Jiangling Motors, the other with Changan.
The JMC-Ford joint venture produces not only the Bronco New Energy but also the mid-size Equator Sport SUV and large Equator.
The Equator Sport is already exported to one right-hand drive market, South Africa, where it’s called the Territory.
In South Africa, where it was launched in 2024 in pre-facelift guise, the only engine available is a 138kW/318Nm turbocharged 1.8-litre petrol four mated with a seven-speed dual-clutch auto, making it good for claimed fuel consumption of 7.0L/100km on the NEDC cycle.
In China, however, a facelift has brought a front-wheel drive plug-in hybrid powertrain that mates 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. Claimed electric range is 95km on the WLTC cycle.
Sized similarly to the Escape, the Equator Sport features MacPherson strut front and multi-link rear suspension, and is available exclusively with front-wheel drive.
It’s unclear if the Changan Ford joint venture will also manufacture right-hook Fords.
Changan Ford produces models like the mid-size Mondeo and Mondeo Sport passenger cars and the large Edge L and Explorer SUVs, among other models, and exports left-hand drive vehicles to markets including the Middle East.
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 rival to the Toyota Kluger, something it hasn’t had since the Territory ended production in 2016.
Ford Australia has gaping holes in its SUV lineup, having axed the Puma light SUV in 2024 and Escape medium SUV in 2023. This followed the demise of the Canadian-built Endura large SUV in 2020.
It’s understood Ford had continued to struggle with supply of vehicles out of Europe, including the Puma and Escape, while costs like freight undoubtedly eroded its ability to sell European-built vehicles here profitably.
In December 2024, Ford cancelled 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 stacks up”.
In short, Ford likely wouldn’t have been able to sell the Puma Gen-E at a competitive enough price in a part of the market full of cut-price Chinese offerings.
The axings and cancellations have left Ford Australia with just two SUVs: the mid-size electric Mustang Mach-E produced in Mexico, and the Everest large off-road SUV 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 like the Kia EV5 and upcoming Mazda 6e, Nissan Australia is also planning to launch the Frontier Pro plug-in hybrid dual-cab ute developed with its Dongfeng joint venture, while Hyundai Australia has locked in the Elexio electric SUV developed for China.