Ford, and those who keep an eye on Ford, have been hinting at an all-electric Bronco for some time now. But now that Ford's future EV emphasis seems to be on smaller and more affordable cars as the American automaker gets hesitant about big, battery-powered trucks, it's anybody's guess whether the iconic off-roader has an electric future or not.
Leave it to the tuners to sort things out. Meet the newest electric restomod Bronco, crafted by California shop Kindred Motorworks. And it's all I've been able to think about since I first saw it.
The EV Bronco was unveiled recently at the Monterey Car Week celebrations and it's already making waves. Previously, Kindred Motorworks unveiled the same vehicle powered by a modern Ford 5.0-liter Coyote V8 from the contemporary Mustang, which also sounds like a blast to drive. But if you'd prefer the zero-emission experience, instant torque and never getting gas again, this new electric version may be more up your alley. The shop has offered other EV conversions before, like a classic Volkswagen Bus and Chevy 3100 pickup truck.
But this electric Bronco is really where it's at. Based on the original icon made between 1966 and 1977, this rig drops the engine for an 80 kWh battery pack, dual-motor all-wheel-drive, front and rear limited-slip differentials, regenerative braking and other modern amenities like Apple CarPlay. All trucks are built using a genuine first-generation frame with the original VIN number, the company says.
Unlike some restomods that use batteries repurposed from Teslas, the Bronco EV is powered by a modular pack from Kore Power VDA and features several in-house technologies for things like thermal management. And it sounds like a very comprehensive overhaul.
"Where others might choose the ‘easy option’—to just mount an electric motor onto a transfer case and use the existing suspension design—our EV team decided that this was not the best layout for an EV," the company said in a news release. "The high-efficiency motor gearbox package we’ve developed eliminates the solid axles and requires an entirely new suspension design, which allows for the motor gearbox package and provides far superior ride comfort."
The company says the Bronco EV offers Level 3 DC fast charging (clearly with a CCS plug and not a Tesla NACS one) although it doesn't say what its max charging speed or range is here. Then again, how far are you really going to go in this thing? It's a stylish cruiser, not an everyday road-tripper, although I wouldn't write that off either.
Kindred's Bronco is ready to order today for a fully refundable $1,000. But the rest of it ain't cheap after that; the total project cost is $250,000. Yet unlike other EV conversions we've seen, that includes the donor car itself—that isn't always included in the full purchase price with some of these shops. Check out the company's FAQ list if you're interested.
Meanwhile, maybe Ford should get serious about an EV Bronco of its owner before the tuners have the market cornered entirely.
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