All Hail The World’s First Battery Electric “Classic” Ford Bronco

The market for classic cars is booming at the moment, and rugged off-roaders like the Land Rover Defender, Ford Bronco or Chevrolet K5 Blazer are becoming increasingly popular.

Whether in restored or restomodded form, the classic Bronco is hot property and we’ve seen some very spectacular (and expensive) projects in recent years. What we had not seen is an all-electric original Bronco, but a California-based startup called Zero Labs Automotive has got that covered.

Meet the Zero Labs Ford Bronco, the world’s first electric classic Bronco and the first premium classic electric vehicle, at least according to its maker. It’s a fully restored and re-engineered original Bronco featuring an aerospace grade carbon fiber bodywork, handcrafted walnut or bamboo interior panels, premium leather or vegan upholstery, a retro-styled digital gauge cluster and more than 1,000 newly-designed parts.

The iconic body shape houses a 70 kWh lithium-ion battery compatible with Level 2 charging that feeds a 360 hp permanent magnet AC motor for a driving range of 190 miles (306 km). The electric motor is connected to a five-speed manual transmission that sends power to a part-time/full-time four-wheel drive system with an Atlas 2 two-speed transfer case.

The Bronco’s off-road prowess is further enhanced by the Currie front and rear differentials, an adjustable Fox coil over suspension, and Brembo six-piston caliper brakes. The electric Bronco is also fitted with digital telematics, a digital gauge cluster that sticks to the original design, and CAN network. All vehicle diagnostics and controls are placed behind a hidden screen and can be viewed on the user’s smartphone.

Interestingly, Zero Labs has future-proofed the Bronco by making the battery pack, viscous coupling unit (VCU) hardware/software, and control systems upgradable, so that owners can benefit from the (inevitable) advancements in EV technology.

The first edition of the all-electric Ford Bronco will be made in just 150 units, and is already available for pre-order. Pricing hasn’t been finalized yet but the company estimates a cost “in the upper 200’s or lower 300’s” for the electric Bronco. Yes, that’s hundreds of thousands of U.S. dollars.

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