Remember the “EV Coaching” symbol we’ve talked about in a previous story about the all-new Bronco? That’s reserved for a plug-in hybrid option that Ford has yet to detail but Jim Farley did confirm in 2019 at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders.
TFLnow received information “from an anonymous source” about the yet-to-be-detailed utility vehicle with green credentials, and the gist of it boils down to a 3.0-liter engine. The EcoBoost V6 with this displacement is already utilized in a plug-in hybrid application, namely the Lincoln Aviator Grand Touring. As for the e-motor, that fellow is supposed to be incorporated into the 10-speed transmission.
Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? The Aviator Grand Touring as well as the F-150 PowerBoost share this design, so why wouldn’t Ford do the same with the Bronco? Lest we forget, the next-generation Ranger is also supposed to go plug-in hybrid.
The Fast Lane Car reports that 35 kW or 47 horsepower should be expected from the electric motor for a grand total of 450 horsepower or more. Curiously enough, the cited publication says that the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon with the 4xe plug-in hybrid drivetrain develops 450 horsepower as well, along with 450 pound-feet of torque.
Looking at the bigger picture, the Bronco PHEV is encroaching on the F-150 Raptor with these figures. If the rumor turns out to be true, then chances are that the all-new generation will switch to the PowerBoost V6 mentioned a little earlier.
On the downside, a plug-in hybrid option for the Bronco automatically translates to a torque-converter transmission instead of the seven-speed manual with a crawler gear for extreme off-road adventuring. Still, the 10-speed automatic has proven itself with flying colors in the Ford F-150 Raptor as well as the Ranger Raptor.
If we’re really lucky, Ford may go all in with the same output as the Aviator Grand Touring. In total, Lincoln’s luxury utility vehicle develops 494 horsepower and 630 pound-feet of torque. As for range, 21 miles in EV Mode is the most you can get from the mid-size SUV that tips the scales at 5,673 pounds (2,573 kilograms).
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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