Ford's $32,000 Electric Bronco Isn't Sold in the US — Here's Why

Ford's electric Bronco EV, sold in China, turned out better than expected, but American buyers can't get it. Reviewer Elliot Richards from the YouTube channel Everything Electric drove the vehicle and found that for a starting price of around $32,000, it offers a generous feature set and a range of over 400 miles.

The model carrying the legendary Bronco name shares nothing with the American SUV, despite looking similar on the outside. Buyers in the US and China want different things, and Ford knows it. For the Chinese market, the company partnered with Jiangling Motors and used a ready-made electric platform designed for China. The same company builds the European-spec Ford Transit City.

The American automaker created a custom body for the vehicle and fitted a 105.4-kilowatt-hour lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery from BYD. Inside, there are two screens and a very responsive infotainment system that makes the American Sync look outdated. The electric SUV has a CLTC-rated range of 403 miles, all-wheel drive, 8.6 inches of ground clearance, and decent approach and departure angles, making it suitable for light off-road trips.

But the key difference, as Richards points out, is the approach. The Chinese buyer wants to know the car can potentially go off-road, but it will likely spend its entire life on pavement. The American Bronco is built like a true off-roader, which comes with trade-offs. The Chinese Bronco EV, meanwhile, is a comfortable long-distance cruiser with snappy acceleration and soft steering.

There's also an extended-range version that uses a smaller 43.7 kWh battery and a 1.5-liter gas engine, good for 136 miles of electric driving on the CLTC cycle. This particular variant would likely be especially popular outside China.