As consumers continue to buy hybrids in larger and larger quantities, Ford recently announced that it will add an electrified option to its entire ICE lineup by 2030. That means the Ford Bronco Sport is one of several vehicles that doesn’t currently offer a hybrid powertrain that soon will, and some recent rumors indicate that this could happen in 2027 as part of a broader update. It’s currently unclear what sort of hybrid will eventually land in the Ford Bronco Sport, but there is one new addition to the automaker’s lineup that could make for great fit.
That powertrain is the one present in the 2025 Ford Taurus that was just revealed for the Middle East market last week – what appears to be some version of the 1.5L I-3 EcoBoost that’s been paired with an electric motor that generates 48KW (64 horsepower) for a combined net output of 138 kW (185 horsepower). FoMoCo hasn’t yet revealed any additional information about this powerplant, but it’s worth noting that the 1.5L I-3 EcoBoost is already used as the standard, base powertrain in the Bronco Sport and Ford Escape, sans any sort of electric assistance.
It’s also worth noting that Ford didn’t specify if the 1.5L hybrid powerplant in the 2025 Taurus is an EcoBoost variant – which means that it may not be turbocharged – though that’s unclear at the moment. Regardless, the lack of a turbo would make the engine a bit less complex, and with the addition of hybrid assist, it generates essentially the same amount of power as the EcoBoost version in the Bronco Sport, which churns out 181 horsepower. As such, aside from the Bronco Sport, this powerplant would also make sense for the Escape and perhaps even the Ford Maverick, not to mention the Puma, which currently features a 1.0L mild hybrid setup in certain applications.
It’s also worth noting that the 2024 Lincoln Nautilus and all-new Ford Edge L (China only) are available with an electrified version of the turbocharged 2.0L I-4 EcoBoost engine that pairs the gas powerplant with a 100 kW electric motor to generate a combined output of 271 horsepower in the Edge L and 310 horsepower in the Nautilus – another potential option for the Bronco Sport. Regardless, Ford is focused on expanding its hybrid lineup in a big way in the coming years, which makes sense given the fact that those models are reportedly inexpensive to build – with costs continuing to drop – and incredibly profitable, to boot.
Comments
Shout out to the guy commenting on here who has been saying for years that the Bronco Sport needs a FWD hybrid. Looks like 50% is coming. Maybe 100%.
I would love that. Just waiting for a Bronco Sport Hybrid to trade my 2020 Titanium Escape Hybrid. Won’t buy any more full ICE vehicles.