Just like a shooting star, it was here for a second, then gone. Poof, the Ford Bronco pickup truck is gone with the wind. We never even got the chance to see the Ford Bronco truck compete against the Jeep Gladiator. 

The Ford Bronco truck is no more 

Reportedly, Ford seemed to confirm that it was planning to build a Bronco truck sometime in the future. It was expected to arrive in 2023 or 2024. But according to Automotive News, the truck has been canceled. 

Ford spokesman Mike Levine declined to comment about the Ford Bronco truck. But he did share that Ford continues to see strong demand for the portfolio of rugged trucks and SUVs, including Bronco-brand utilities and the best-selling Ford truck lineup. 

Why is the Bronco truck not happening? 

We can only speculate as to why the Ford Bronco truck isn’t happening. It would have given Ford three pickup trucks smaller than the F-150, creating tons of competition. It could primarily take customers away from the Ford Ranger. 

Recently, the Ford Ranger has attempted to become a little tougher with the Tremor and Ranger package. But the variants of the Ranger that are on par with the Jeep Gladiator Rubicon are still only available in other countries. 

Ford could have their attention on the increasingly popular Ford Maverick. There are over 100,000 reservations for the hybrid model, and production is just beginning. We may see an off-roading Maverick trim arrive later.

Plus, the new Ford Bronco truck could only have gasoline powertrains. This would go against Ford’s goal to generate 50 percent of global sales with electric vehicles by 2030. To stick with the backing of the nonbinding federal target of emissions-free vehicles representing 50 percent of sales by 2030, Ford might be working on making the Bronco go electric instead of creating another new truck. 

On an exciting note, Ford executives have indicated that the Bronco family will expand beyond the two-door, four-door, and Sport models currently offered. Rumors suggest that high-performance and hybrid models could be on the way. 

What Bronco models can we expect? 

Instead of the Ford Bronco truck, we might see the Warthog or Raptor. Allegedly, the Ford Bronco Raptor moniker and the Ford Bronco Warthog have been mentioned. Spy photos reveal a burly-looking model. 

It’s heavily covered under camouflage, so we can’t tell if it says FORD across the grille like other Raptor models. But you can see wider fender flares, larger tires, and an upgraded suspension in the front and rear. 

But the Warthog could also be the name of the Ford Bronco Hybrid. In spy shots of the possible Hybrid model, you can see a large orange high voltage (HV) cable wrapped around the transmission tunnel. This indicates that you might plug it in. 

The Bronco also has the unique exhaust found on other Ford electric vehicles during emissions testing. The possible Ford Bronco Hybrid model was spotted while entering an EPA facility. 

Part of the camouflage on the Hybrid model features a lightning bolt. This clue can’t be ignored with how Ford is following in Jeep’s easter egg footsteps. We’re keeping an eye on Ford Bronco models. While we know that the Ford Bronco truck is officially out, new exciting models could be on the way.