2021 Ford Bronco Owner’s Manual Indirectly Confirms PHEV Option

The Ford Motor Company also mentions a high-voltage battery and 50 percent state of charge, details that further indicate that a hybrid powertrain is on the horizon. Directly confirmed by former chief executive officer Jim Hackett and indirectly confirmed by the “EV Coaching” feature we’ve covered last year, the partially electrified Bronco is expected to launch in the latter half of 2022 as a 2023 model. Given the current state of the chip shortage, the Dearborn-based automaker may also delay the plug-in hybrid.

Although unconfirmed, it’s very likely for this variant to integrate the e-motor in the 10-speed automatic transmission. If the Ford Motor Company utilizes the same 35-kW motor as the F-150 PowerBoost with the 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder turbo, then expect approximately 347 horsepower.

While on the subject of powertrains, page 107 of the owner’s manual confirms a configurable gauge for the digital instrument cluster. “Turbo boost gauge,” to be more precise, and its role is to indicate the amount of manifold air pressure in the 2.3-liter EcoBoost. From the looks of it, customers who pony extra for the 2.7-liter EcoBoost won’t get this gauge.

For those who plan on sleeping on a roof rack-mounted tent or going off-road with loads of gear on the roof rack, be warned that you can’t go higher than 450 pounds or 204 kilograms while stationary. When the vehicle is in motion, the roof load shouldn’t exceed 110 pounds or 50 kilograms.

Last, but certainly not least, quite a few owners are interested if you can turn off the auto start-stop feature. The answer is yes, Ford allows you to press the button every time you turn on the vehicle. But on the downside, you can’t switch the system off permanently because it “plays an important role in reducing fuel consumption and carbon-dioxide emissions.”