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It’s a strange time in the automotive industry. Just a few short years ago, automakers were tripping over themselves to bring more EVs to the U.S. market. But then the incentives to buy them dried up, and regulations and attitudes swung back in favor of vehicles vehicles equipped with more familiar powertrains. In the face of all this uncertainty, products that were conceived and developed when the industry was rushing toward electrification are now arriving—whether buyers want them or not.
One of those vehicles is the 2026 Jeep Recon, the venerable brand’s first true, off-road-oriented EV. The Recon has been in development for some time and has been marked by several delays that have pushed back its launch. Built using the same unibody-based platform employed by Jeep’s other electric model—the Wagoneer S—the Recon is aimed at buyers looking for an EV that can get down and dirty off-road.
For the next few years, this is about as close as we’ll get to an electric Wrangler. But after getting behind the wheel of the Recon on some of Northern California’s winding roads and rugged trails, we learned that the two vehicles are different. The Recon isn’t an electric Wrangler so much as it is its own Jeep, with its own character.
The Most Powerful Jeep to Date
If you’ve ever driven a Wrangler, you know speed isn’t its defining trait (unless it’s the Rubicon 392). The Recon, on the other hand, is the most powerful Jeep to date. For now, there will be only one configuration available, with a dual-motor setup producing 670 hp and 620 lb-ft of torque. Jeep estimates the Recon can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.6 seconds with Sport mode engaged. That’s almost a second quicker than the gas-incinerating 392, in case you were wondering.
Behind the wheel, those numbers are hard to ignore. During our drive, we confirmed that the Recon is quick, eager, and more than happy to put its power down. Delivery is mostly linear, but with this much power available, you need to be mindful of how far you press the accelerator.
Jeep is also launching the Recon exclusively in the Moab trim, which is tailored for off-road driving. Its all-terrain tires still offer plenty of grip on pavement, allowing us to launch the SUV quickly and pass slower vehicles with ease. There’s so much power, in fact, that we occasionally wondered whether the Recon really needed to be this quick. Still, every horsepower and lb-ft is welcome.
On twisty roads, the Recon felt planted, thanks in part to the familiar EV benefit of mounting the heavy battery pack in the floor, helping to lower its center of gravity. No, the Recon is no sports car, but it will go faster and is more agile than you might expect through the canyons. The knobby tires predictably limit its overall agility, though, and they squeal frequently when pushed hard. The Recon is also a relatively large vehicle, one that drives and feels bigger than a four-door Wrangler. It’s quite a bit longer at 193.3 inches versus 188.4 inches in length (it’s also 2.3 inches wider and a shade taller), although its 112.9-inch wheelbase is far shorter than the Wrangler’s 118.4-inch number.
Ride quality is one area where it could improve, however. Because the Recon Moab is primarily designed for off-road use, its pavement manners are rather bouncy and jouncey. We experienced more head toss than we would have liked, and after we drove over a series of whoops at highway speeds, the Recon continued bouncing longer than we’d prefer. The suspension is soft, which helps the Jeep absorb large bumps, but those motions aren’t settled immediately. Instead, they play out over a longer period, with the suspension’s considerable travel making itself felt inside the cabin.
The rest of the on-road experience is decent. The cabin is notably quiet despite the all-terrain tires and thick A-pillars, with wind and tire noise remaining relatively subdued at freeway speeds. We’d like the steering to provide more feedback, as it feels somewhat muted, but most drivers will find it perfectly acceptable.
