Jeep launches $65K Recon EV built for off-road use

Jeep has revealed its new all-electric Recon SUV with a starting price close to $65,000, according to a press announcement on Tuesday night, as the company showed the vehicle on Tuesday ahead of the Los Angeles Auto Show.

The 2026 model is Jeep’s latest attempt to rebuild its lineup after several weak years of falling sales and shrinking U.S. market share.

Production is set to begin early next year at Stellantis’ Toluca Assembly Plant in Mexico, which already builds the Wagoneer S, Compass and the new hybrid-only Cherokee.

The idea for the Recon first appeared in 2021, when Jeep said it wanted to create a battery-electric model inspired by the Wrangler.

The final design keeps the familiar Wrangler-style box shape and an open-air setup with removable doors, a rear spare tire, and a roof that comes off, keeping the same outdoor feel Jeep has always pushed.

Jeep CEO Bob Broderdorf, who took over the brand in February, said in the release:-

“With the Jeep Recon, we’re proving that electrification isn’t just compatible with off-road excellence, it can elevate it, delivering instant torque, precision control and a quieter, more connected driving experience that’s uniquely Jeep.”

Jeep finishes four-car rollout with Recon

The Recon is the last of four vehicles Jeep promised to reveal over a tight four‑month window. The other three were the updated Grand Cherokee, the redesigned Grand Wagoneer, and the new Cherokee hybrid.

Bob said during a media call, “We’re wrapping up the 4×4 – four cars in four months. Recon is the last car to do that. That will complete the storyline.”

Jeep is pushing these launches as it fights to reverse a long sales slide. The brand hit its record in 2018 with more than 973,000 SUVs sold in the U.S. but has since dropped by 40%, sliding to under 590,000 units last year.

So far this year, Jeep’s sales through the third quarter are up by less than 0.5% from the same period a year ago. The brand’s U.S. market share has fallen from 5.4% in 2019 to 3.7% since 2024. Bob has said the focus now is not chasing big volume, explaining on the call:-

“I’m not going to just chase volume just to chase volume. Everybody who wants a [battery-electric vehicle], Recon, I want to make sure that we’re there for them. After that, it doesn’t really matter to me.”

Recon brings big power and short range at a high price

The Recon uses dual electric motors that make 650 horsepower and 620 lb-ft of torque, putting it near some V6 and V8 gas models in output. That power comes with a trade‑off: a range of about 250 miles per charge.

That is lower than many cheaper EVs already on the market. The price also puts the Recon well above other Jeep models. It costs about $14,000 more than the entry-level 2025 Wrangler plug‑in hybrid and almost $27,000 more than a base 2026 Wrangler four‑door.

Its pricing sits close to the Wagoneer S electric SUV at about $65,200, which can travel 294 miles on a full charge.

Jeep’s parent company Stellantis is pulling back on EV spending after major market changes and a CEO shake‑up last year. EV sales overall have dropped since the federal $7,500 incentive for plug‑in vehicles ended in September, and Bob said the removal of the credit will hit sales across the industry, including the Recon.

He described the Recon as an EV “bookend” next to the sportier Wagoneer S, saying the two models round out Jeep’s electric options for buyers who still want the brand’s older off-road identity but in a battery-powered version.

The Recon will be built in the same Mexico plant as the Wagoneer S, Compass and hybrid Cherokee. Bob said the facility can shift volume easily toward Compass and Cherokee if EV demand slows.

He also said both gas-powered Compass and Cherokee models are expected to be manufactured in the U.S. in the coming years to create more flexibility for dealers and buyers.

Bob told CNBC earlier this year, “We’re going to grow, grow and grow. That’s the mission. And do it in a healthy way.” Whether the $65,000 Recon becomes part of that recovery or another reminder of a tough EV market will be clear once production starts and orders come in.

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