ARB targets Bronco and Rivian markets

Four-wheel-drive accessory company ARB has revealed it has a Ford Bronco at its Australian headquarters.

In a post on the company’s Facebook page, ARB said the Bronco was in Australia to continue research and development – building on the limited number of accessories currently offered to its US customers.

But the Bronco isn’t the only vehicle it’s been working on, with ARB’s Chairman and Managing Director Roger Brown telling shareholders last month the company had secured a contract with US electric ute manufacturer Rivian, according to AFR.

“We’ve been in discussions with [Rivian] for quite a while now, and we are talking about the accessories program,” ARB COO Lachlan McCann told 4X4 Australia.

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While McCann was tight-lipped about the relationship, he said the company was currently supplying a product for Rivian on the production line, and had another long-term project the two organisations were working on.

Under a standalone section about Rivian, ARB’s own Environmental Sustainability Report states: “ARB is involved in the development of a range of accessories that integrate and comply with the complex differences in this fast-growing market of electric 4WDs.”

“It’s just quite exciting to be working with an electric-based OEM ... regardless of whether it’s a naturally-aspirated, a V8 turbo, or an electric product – the suite of accessories the customers are after is still there,” McCann said.

“So as the electrification of vehicles continues, we’ll certainly be working closely with either the vehicles in the aftermarket or hopefully upfront with the [manufacturers].”

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Along with Rivian, ARB is also working alongside Toyota on its all-electric LandCruiser 70 Series trial, and is understood to have a relationship with British newcomer Ineos.

At a recent media event, Ineos Australia's head of sales and marketing, Justin Hocevar, said the carmaker was giving local four-wheel-drive accessory companies access to its Grenadier prototypes.

While Ineos and Rivian will be bringing their vehicles to Australia, there’s no word yet on whether Ford will be developing a right-hand-drive Bronco.