A boxy Ford Bronco prototype has been caught testing in Europe. The spy photos, published on Instagram by wilcoblok and picked up by Motor1 Italia, show a long-wheelbase SUV with square lines and a spare wheel mounted on the tailgate. Ford has not commented, but the pictures raise an interesting question: which Bronco is Ford planning for Europe?
There are two candidates, and they could hardly be more different.
Candidate one: a compact Bronco built in Spain
The Bronco Ford is known to be preparing for Europe is a compact SUV. Ford CEO Jim Farley has given the strongest hint yet that the car will carry the Bronco name. It is set to arrive in 2027 as an indirect replacement for the Focus, and will be built in Valencia, Spain, alongside the closely related Kuga.
According to Automotive News Europe, this model will be smaller than the Kuga and have nothing in common with the Bronco and Bronco Sport sold in the US apart from the name. It is set to use the Kuga’s C2 platform and launch as a plug-in hybrid, reflecting Ford’s decision to keep combustion engines in Europe after weaker-than-expected demand for EVs.
Candidate two: the Chinese Bronco New Energy
The other possibility, suggested by Motor1, is a European version of the Bronco New Energy, built in China by Ford’s joint venture with Jiangling Motors (JMC). It is a very different car: a 5-metre unibody SUV that resembles the classic Bronco, but shares no parts with the US models. Like the regular Bronco, it has a side-hinged tailgate and a rear-mounted spare wheel, a detail that matches the European spy photos.
The fully electric version uses a 105.4 kWh LFP battery from BYD’s FinDreams, good for 650 km on China’s CLTC cycle, while the EREV version pairs a 43.7 kWh battery with a 1.5-litre turbo engine that only charges the battery, giving 220 km of electric range. Both use two motors and all-wheel drive, with up to 445 hp in the EV.
The Bronco New Energy is also not staying in China: it is already confirmed for Australia as a 2027 model.
| European compact Bronco | Bronco New Energy (China) | |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Reported for Europe in 2027, name hinted by Ford CEO | On sale in China, production started December 2025 |
| Built in | Valencia, Spain, alongside the Kuga | Nanchang, China, by Jiangling Ford (JMC) |
| Platform | Ford C2, shared with the Kuga | JMC unibody platform |
| Size | Reportedly smaller than the Kuga | 5,025 mm long, 2,950 mm wheelbase |
| Powertrains | Plug-in hybrid at launch, according to reports | Electric (105.4 kWh) or range extender (43.7 kWh) |
| Drive | Not announced | Dual motors, all-wheel drive |
| Range | Not announced | Up to 650 km EV, 220 km electric for the EREV (CLTC) |
The European compact Bronco has not been officially presented. Details are based on reports by Automotive News Europe and Autocar. Bronco New Energy figures are for the Chinese market.
Which one fits the photos?
The long wheelbase and tailgate-mounted spare wheel seen in the photos point more towards the Chinese car than towards a compact SUV smaller than the Kuga. But prototypes are often heavily disguised, and Ford could also be testing a Chinese model in Europe for development purposes. Without confirmation from Ford, both scenarios remain open.
Our take: the Nordic market needs the electric one
For Nordic buyers, the difference matters a lot. A plug-in hybrid Bronco from Valencia makes sense in markets where combustion engines still sell. But in Denmark, electric cars made up more than 96 percent of private new car sales this year, and Norway is even further ahead. A PHEV-only Bronco would have little to offer there.
A Bronco with a 105 kWh battery, all-wheel drive and real SUV proportions would be a different story, and could finally give Ford a desirable electric SUV in the region. The catch is that a China-built EV faces EU tariffs, while an EREV version could raise questions as the EU is already asking China to limit hybrid exports. Ford’s choice will say a lot about how seriously it takes the Nordic EV market.
