This is a first-generation Ford Bronco from 1974 that was transformed by Zero Labs Automotive into a 100% electric vehicle, now powered by a 434 bhp electric motor that’s good for 277 lb ft of torque.
Unusually for an EV, this Bronco keeps the live axles in place, as well as the 5-speed manual transmission and dual range transfer case. It has a full carbon fiber body, and it rides on a new steel chassis.
Fast Facts: A Ford Bronco EV Conversion
- Zero Labs Automotive was founded in Los Angeles in 2015 by designer Adam Roe, the company re-engineers classic vehicles into full EVs. They gained early recognition for its electric Ford Bronco, integrating electric power with vintage aesthetics and a focus on daily usability.
- This 1974 Ford Bronco was completely rebuilt by Zero Labs and fitted with a 434 bhp BorgWarner electric motor delivering 277 lb ft of torque. It still has its 5-speed manual transmission and dual-range transfer case, keeping the mechanical involvement of the original vehicle while offering the smooth torque delivery of an EV.
- It now has a carbon fiber body over a replacement steel frame, paired with Fox remote-reservoir shocks, Eibach springs, Brembo brakes, and 18-inch steel wheels with Pirelli tires. The body integrates closed grille sections, LED lighting, and subtle Zero Labs badging.
- Inside, it has heated and power-adjustable leather seats, a walnut dashboard, nickel-plated trim, and hidden Bluetooth audio. While newer Zero Labs builds use advanced platforms with independent suspension, this early earlier example showcases the firm’s original vision, blending traditional off-road engineering with next-gen electric performance.
History Speedrun: Zero Labs Automotive
Founded in Los Angeles in 2015 by designer and entrepreneur Adam Roe, Zero Labs Automotive was specifically created to take classic cars and re-power them with modern electric drivetrains.
This is a first-generation Ford Bronco from 1974 that was completely rebuilt and transformed by Zero Labs Automotive in California, into a 100% electric vehicle now powered by a 434 bhp electric motor that’s good for 277 lb ft of torque.
The company first drew international attention for its electric Ford Bronco, a recreation that kept the vehicle’s classic lines intact while replacing its V8 with a high-performance, emissions-free electric drivetrain. Roe’s vision was to create a way to preserve automotive history by giving classic vehicles a second life and helping adapt them to a slowly electrifying automotive landscape.
From that starting point, Zero Labs soon expanded its focus to include vintage Land Rovers, classic trucks, and muscle cars, all of which would be rebuilt from the ground up with modern materials and engineering. The centerpiece of the company’s evolution is its modular platform, known internally as the Classic Electric Platform.
This in-house platform design integrates the battery, dual-motor powertrain, suspension, brakes, and control systems into a single unit capable of supporting a wide range of vintage bodies which are bolted on. The platform offers 85 to 100 kWh battery options, up to 600 bhp, and over 200 miles of range, transforming vehicles originally built for trails, boulevard cruising, or stoplight drag races into almost silent, high-performance EVs.
The Ford Bronco EV Conversion Shown Here
This is a first-generation Ford Bronco that has been rebuilt by Zero Labs Automotive for the modern age, it was stripped to its bones before being rebuilt on a replacement steel frame and then topped with a lightweight carbon fiber body with a matching hardtop.
The subtle changes to the design are all deliberate and they were carefully planned out. The grille openings are closed for better aerodynamics, the traditional logo script was replaced with backlit Zero Labs branding, and the body now wears a metallic gray finish with LED lighting throughout.
Unusually for an EV, this Bronco keeps the live axles in place, as well as the 5-speed manual transmission and dual range transfer case. It has a full carbon fiber body, and it rides on a new steel chassis.
Underneath that new body you’ll find Fox remote-reservoir shocks, Eibach springs, a Fox steering stabilizer, Brembo four-wheel disc brakes with six-piston calipers up front and four-piston in the rear, and an electric parking brake. The 18 inch steel wheels carry 265/65 Pirelli tires.
Power comes from a single BorgWarner permanent-magnet AC motor fed by a 70 kWh battery pack. In this configuration the motor sits longitudinally, and true to the early Zero Labs formula, it drives through a 5-speed manual transmission and a dual-range, twin-stick transfer case to either the rear or all four wheels.
It’s an unconventional pairing for an EV, but it keeps the mechanical purity that Bronco loyalists expect while allowing use of a gearbox and dual-range transfer case to allow the driver to carefully match the power reaching the wheels with whatever the terrain demands.
Inside the cabin you’ll find heated, power-adjustable front buckets in gray leather, a custom walnut dash, and consoles with nickel-plated metalwork and neatly labeled switchgear. It also has power windows and locks, a hidden Bluetooth stereo, and integrated HVAC bring daily usability.
Inside the cabin you’ll find heated, power-adjustable front buckets in gray leather, a custom walnut dash, and consoles with nickel-plated metalwork and neatly labeled switchgear. It also has power windows and locks, a hidden Bluetooth stereo, and integrated HVAC bring daily usability.
While Zero Labs Automotive has since largely migrated to a next-gen platform with various upgrades including independent suspension, this Bronco is an early production version that first caught the industry’s eye. It’s a finished, titled example and it has media features from both MotorTrend, Top Gear, and now Silodrome to its credit.
It’s now being offered for sale out of Los Angeles, California on Bring a Trailer with a clean California title in the name of the seller’s company. If you’d like to read more or register to bid you can visit the listing here.
Images courtesy of Bring a Trailer
Articles that Ben Branch has written have been covered on CNN, Popular Mechanics, Smithsonian Magazine, Road & Track Magazine, the official Pinterest blog, the official eBay Motors blog, BuzzFeed, Autoweek Magazine, Wired Magazine, Autoblog, Gear Patrol, Jalopnik, The Verge, and many more.
Silodrome was founded by Ben back in 2010, in the years since the site has grown to become a world leader in the alternative and vintage motoring sector, with well over a million monthly readers from around the world and many hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.
