Jeep's Electric Off-Roader Is Here: The 2026 Recon EV

Jeep does not yet sell an electric Wrangler, but it now sells an electric off-roader: the 2026 Recon. It is the brand's first Trail-Rated EV, makes 650 horsepower from dual motors, keeps Wrangler signatures like removable doors, and starts at $65,000. The trade-off for all that capability is range, rated at 230 miles in the launch trim.

Wait, is this an electric Wrangler?

Not exactly. The Recon is Wrangler-inspired, not a Wrangler. It borrows the rugged look and removable-door personality but rides on its own electric platform and wears its own name. A fully electric Wrangler, expected to use the J70 designation, is not due until around 2028 and is reported to use a series-hybrid setup where a gas engine acts as a generator for the battery. So if you want a Jeep electric off-roader you can actually buy in 2026, the Recon is it.

What is the 2026 Jeep Recon?

The Recon is an all-electric, mid-size off-road SUV and the first EV in Jeep's lineup to earn a Trail Rated badge. It launches in a Moab trim aimed squarely at serious off-roaders, with a dual-motor all-wheel-drive system, 33-inch tires, and Jeep's Selec-Terrain traction management. It is also the only fully electric SUV designed with removable doors, removable rear-quarter glass, and removable swing-gate glass, preserving the open-air experience Jeep buyers expect.

How much power and range does the Recon have?

The Recon runs dual 250-kilowatt electric motors for a combined 650 horsepower and 620 lb-ft of torque, enough to hit 60 mph in about 3.6 seconds. Energy comes from a 100.5-kWh battery pack on a 400-volt architecture. EPA range for the launch Moab trim is 230 miles, with future trims expected to reach roughly 250 miles. That range is modest for the battery size, and it reflects how much hardware Jeep packed in.

• Motors: dual 250-kW units, all-wheel drive
• Combined output: 650 hp and 620 lb-ft
• 0-60 mph: about 3.6 seconds
• Battery: 100.5 kWh, 400-volt architecture
• Range: 230 miles (Moab launch trim), up to ~250 miles on future trims

Why is the range only 230 miles?

Physics. The Recon weighs about 6,112 pounds, rides on chunky 33-inch off-road tires, and has the aerodynamics of a brick by design. All three work against efficiency. It is worth noting the final numbers shifted from early previews: earlier estimates floated up to 600 horsepower and well over 300 miles of range, but the production Recon landed with more power, 650 horsepower, and less range, 230 miles, a classic capability-versus-efficiency trade for a true off-roader.

Is the Recon actually capable off-road?

It carries the Trail Rated badge, which Jeep does not hand out casually, and it is the only EV of its kind to wear one. The Selec-Terrain system offers five distinct driving modes, and the removable doors and glass mean it can go full open-air on the trail. Inside, it features the largest touchscreen ever in a Jeep at 14.5 inches. On paper it is built to do the rugged stuff a Wrangler does, just with instant electric torque instead of a combustion engine.

• First Trail Rated EV in Jeep history
• Selec-Terrain with five drive modes
• Removable doors, rear-quarter glass, and swing-gate glass
• 33-inch tires standard on the Moab launch trim
• 14.5-inch touchscreen, the largest ever in a Jeep

How fast does the Recon charge?

On a DC fast charger the Recon goes from 5 to 80 percent in roughly 28 minutes and can add about 100 miles of range in around 10 minutes, which points to a peak charging rate well north of 250 kW. There is one wrinkle worth knowing: the Recon launches with a CCS-style charge port rather than a native NACS (Tesla-style) connector, so using the Tesla Supercharger network will require an adapter. For an off-road EV where range is the weak point, quick charging is a real part of whether the Recon works as a daily driver.

Can the Recon tow and ford water?

Yes to both, within reason. The Recon is rated to tow up to 3,300 pounds and offers around 9.1 inches of ground clearance, and its Trail Rated badge certifies it for water fording, articulation, traction, and maneuverability. Those figures will not embarrass a body-on-frame Wrangler Rubicon on the gnarliest trails, but they confirm the Recon is engineered to actually leave the pavement rather than just wear the look. Instant electric torque is genuinely useful for low-speed crawling, where precise throttle control matters.

How much does the 2026 Jeep Recon cost?

The Recon starts at $65,000 before the mandatory $1,995 destination charge, which puts the effective entry price north of $67,000. Jeep is positioning it as the only 650-horsepower SUV priced under $70,000, which is the value hook. Whether buyers see a 230-mile electric off-roader at that price as a bargain or a stretch will depend on how much they value the capability and the open-air Jeep experience.

When can you buy a Recon?

Production is set to begin in early 2026 at a Stellantis plant in Mexico, with North America getting the SUV first and a global rollout to follow. Orders are expected to open around midyear, with deliveries following once production fully ramps, which likely pushes showroom availability into the summer or fall of 2026. In other words, it is launching now rather than being a far-off concept.

What happened to the Wrangler 4xe?

This is where Jeep's electrification story gets messy. Reports in early 2026 indicated the Jeep Wrangler 4xe plug-in hybrid, once the best-selling plug-in hybrid in America, was pulled from the lineup. At the same time, Jeep is reported to be developing an upgraded 4xe powertrain for the Wrangler and Gladiator, with a new ZF eight-speed transmission and a much stronger electric motor said to climb to around 215 horsepower from the prior 134. The fully electric Wrangler, expected to wear the J70 designation, is the longer-term play, reported for around 2028 with a range-extender style series-hybrid system in which a gas engine acts as a generator for the battery. The takeaway is that Jeep's electric path is several models deep and still shifting, so for anyone asking for an electrified Jeep off-roader they can buy today, the Recon is the cleanest answer.

The Recon at a glance

• Powertrain: dual-motor AWD, 650 hp, 620 lb-ft
• Range: 230 miles (Moab launch trim)
• Weight: about 6,112 pounds
• Price: from $65,000 plus $1,995 destination
• On sale: production early 2026, deliveries expected summer/fall 2026

What to watch as the Recon ships

The big questions now are real-world range on the trail, where rock crawling and low-speed slogging can punish an EV differently than highway cruising, plus fast-charging speed on that 400-volt pack and how the 6,112-pound Recon behaves on technical terrain, where weight and tire choice matter as much as horsepower. Charging access is part of the story too, since the Recon launches without a native NACS port and will lean on adapters for the Tesla network in remote areas. Independent off-road testing will tell us whether the Trail Rated badge holds up against expectations set by the gas Wrangler. If it does, the Recon becomes the proof point for Jeep's electric future, well before the fully electric Wrangler arrives later this decade.