ICON 4x4 goes EV, giving their classic Bronco-based restomod an electric twist

Californian custom shop ICON 4x4 are best known for their meticulously restored and upgraded historic SUVs, creating the gold standard for highly desirable one-off machines that has helped shape the modern restomod industry. In recent years, the workshop has delivered beautiful examples of the 1964 Toyota Land Cruiser, 1975 Jeep Cherokee and even an electrified 1966 Fiat Giardiniera.

Usually, an ICON build involves shoehorning and replumbing modern combustion muscle and uprated suspension and steering into a classic body shell. With the new limited-edition EV Bronco, however, the company is now venturing into full-on electrification. The EV Bronco has taken 18 months to develop, 5,000 hours of testing and engineering work to ensure that transforming Ford’s classic early off-roader into a high-performance EV stays true to the ICON approach.

ICON worked with Austin, Texas-based Moment Motor Company, to develop the electric running gear for the new Bronco. ‘This project was both an incredible honour and a true joy from a vehicle designer's perspective,’ says ICON4x4 Founder Jonathan Ward, ‘Commissioned by a long-time ICON client with whom we’ve built a deep bond of trust, we were given the rare opportunity to push boundaries and go further.’ Realising that aftermarket EV tech could now finally his company’s exacting standards, Ward and his team threw himself into the conversion.

‘The level of creative freedom we were afforded is something every custom designer dreams of,’ he explains, ‘Immersing myself in the various art forms and traditions honoured in this build was a deeply rewarding experience, making this project truly one-of-a-kind.’

Naturally, EV power means a significant performance boost. With a 105kWh battery and industry standard 400V electrical architecture, the EV Bronco has around 500 horsepower. That’s enough to propel this completely overhauled first generation Bronco-based car to 60mph in 4.5 seconds. There’s also full-time four-wheel drive, massive off-road tyres and boosted suspension, steering and brakes to soak up that performance, on and off-road.

The company reckons the battery should deliver between 175 and 200 miles of range, perfect for the life of freeway cruising and backroad hacking that awaits these very California-centric cars. There are even three driving modes, Eco, Normal and Sport, as per a standard production EV. An onboard 6.6kW charger makes for easy battery top-ups, with CCS fast charging available as well. Importantly, the battery is also graded to the IP67 Waterproof Standard.

Inside the traditional Bronco shell, craftsmanship is top notch, as always. This debut EV model, the ‘Blue Star’, starts as ICON means to go on, showcasing a custom combination of blue and white throughout. Custom gauges showcase EV range without compromising the vintage looks, and all other in-car systems, from aircon to audio, are contemporary yet classically styled.

‘We have designed an EV drivetrain that seamlessly integrates with our existing award-winning chassis and takes performance to the next level,’ Ward concludes, ‘With the added convenience of our standard DC Fast charging capability of charging from 20-80% in under an hour, the ICON Bronco EV is built to excel out on the open road.’

EV Bronco, from ICON 4x4, from $449,000, ICON4x4.com, @ICON4x4