Details on what the new Ford Bronco might look like
Ford is getting ready to unveil its new Bronco that will reportedly have full-time side mirrors and a fully-removable top.
The Ford Bronco is being rebooted.
Not just by Ford, which has an all-new version on the way next year, but also by Zero Labs, a startup boutique builder based in Los Angeles that’s turned the original Bronco into an electric luxury vehicle.
The truck looks a lot like the first generation model, and is even built on an authentic frame. To that, the company adds carbon fiber body panels and an interior trimmed in bamboo, aluminum and premium leather, or a vegan substitute, if you prefer.
The old engine has been replaced by a 369 hp Borg Warner electric motor running off of a 70 kilowatt-hour battery pack that’s good for 190 miles of range. Unusually, it sends power to the wheels through a 5-speed manual transmission, rather than direct drive like most electric cars use. There’s also a two-speed transfer case, locking Currie differentials fitted inside live axles and a suspension featuring adjustable Fox coil-over shocks for high performance off-roading.
Since there’s a lesser need for cooling, the grille has been replaced with a stylized panel featuring illuminated FORD branding, though Zero Labs makes it clear this is technically a modified vehicle and not an official collaboration with the brand. All told, there are over 1,000 all-new parts on the truck.
The company plans to begin production late next year and is currently taking orders on the first run of 150 SUVs it hopes to build. Exact pricing hasn’t been announced, but the website suggests it will be in the $250,000-$300,000 range, which is quite a bit more than Ford's new Bronco will cost when it goes on sale, but in line with some conventional high-end Bronco restomods done by outfits like Gateway Bronco and Icon.
THE NEW FORD BRONCO WILL HAVE SOMETHING THE JEEP WRANGLER DOESN'T
Zero Labs has more electrified classics in the works and says it will announce the next one next year.