2026 Jeep Recon is the most open-air EV on sale, with 650 horsepower and a range of up to 250 miles – Jalopnik

All the way back in September 2022, when we didn’t have a climate-hating lunatic in the office yet and the auto industry was much more enthusiastic about electrification (especially Stellantis), Jeep unveiled the electric Recon, a four-door SUV with Wrangler-like styling that would reportedly reach dealerships in 2024. Well, that didn’t happen, but Jeep is finally ready to put the Recon into production at its Toluca, Mexico factory in early 2026. The exterior styling of the 2026 Recon is exactly the same as what we saw three years ago, and now Jeep is showing off its beautiful interior and providing all the details and specs for its second EV.

The Recon will be the most open electric vehicle on the market thanks to its huge sunroofs and removable doors and windows, and will offer 650 horsepower and plenty of off-road capability. But if you’re hoping for long range or advanced powertrain technology, you’ll have to look elsewhere. Initially, the Recon will be launched in the more expensive Moab trim, which will only get a range of 170 miles, but the lower versions coming later will get a range of 250 miles. And while it may look cute and small, the Recon is actually bigger than a four-door Wrangler.

Jeep says it has calibrated the throttle to be accurate off-road, and the Moab trim has an electronic limited-slip rear differential with a 15:1 final drive ratio (the front is an open differential with an 11:1 ratio), with the locker activated by a switch on the dash. The suspension uses a short and long arm at the front and an integral link at the rear, which the company says delivers “an ideal blend” of ride comfort and off-road capability. All Recons get Auto, Sand, Snow and Sport driving modes, but the Moab adds a Rock mode that uses a two-pedal driving technique and a hill-hold function that lets you move your foot from the brake to the accelerator without the car moving. There’s also Selec-Speed ​​Control, which is essentially a low-speed cruise control for going up and down treacherous slopes.

The Moab has 18-inch wheels with 33-inch Nexen Roadian ATX all-terrain tires, which give the Recon a ground clearance of 9.1 inches, an inch less than a base Wrangler. The other trim levels coming to market will offer more road-oriented tires, including on larger wheels. That’s probably why Jeep Moab is estimated to have a range of 270 miles, while others will get up to 250 miles. The approach and departure angles of 33.8 and 33.1 degrees are worse than a Wrangler’s, but the Recon’s 23.3-degree breakover angle is better than a Wrangler Rubicon. High-strength steel base plates protect the battery pack and EDMs.

All four doors of the Recon can be removed in just a few minutes without the need for tools. For the 2026 model year, Wrangler doors will also no longer require the Torx bit. The Recon comes standard with a dual-pane electric sunroof, but you can also specify it with the Sky One-Touch Power Top, a large, roll-back soft top. If that’s not enough airiness for you, both the rear hatch window and the side windows can be removed, making this easily the most open EV on the market. Normally the side mirrors are mounted on the doors, but when the doors are off there are mounting points in the clamps where they can be reattached.

Jeep

On a background call, I asked Jeep if it knew how removing the doors, windows and roof affects the Recon’s aerodynamics and range. The company’s response? Well, it doesn’t know, because it hasn’t tested that (and it looks like the company probably won’t either). The Recon may be a bit more aerodynamic than a Wrangler, with a drag coefficient of 0.404, but removing all those panels will certainly have a negative effect on that already mediocre range.

Jeep

Compared to a four-door Wrangler, the Recon has more headroom, legroom and shoulder room for both front and rear passengers. Behind the second-row seat is 30.3 cubic feet of cargo space, about three cubes more than a Wrangler; the rear seats fold flat, expanding that space to 65.9 cubic feet, a few cubes less than a Wrangler. You do get a frunk under the hood with 10 cubic feet of extra space, enough for a carry-on, though Jeep hasn’t released any images of it. There are modular mounting points on the door panels and dashboard for a host of storage solutions and accessories, including a ‘duck holder’, which should really appeal to Jeep buyers.

How much will this all cost? The 2026 Jeep Recon Moab starts at $66,995, including $1,995 destination. It’s virtually in a class of its own in the EV space – the closest equivalent is probably the Mercedes-Benz G580, which costs more than twice as much – so the best comparison is with Jeep’s own Wrangler 4xe plug-in hybrid. The cheapest of these costs $52,690, while a Rubicon costs $63,390 and the more expensive Rubicon X starts at $72,340. If I were a betting man, I’d say the upcoming lower Recon trims will start somewhere in the low 60s. The Moab will begin production in early 2026, but Jeep has only said the longer-range models will have “late availability.”