Jeep Is Putting The Wrangler’s Legacy On The Recon’s Shoulders

Although EV adoption is going a bit slower than expected, that’s not stopping one of America’s most valuable nameplates from doubling down – literally. Right now, the only Jeep EV available in the US is the Wagoneer S, but that will likely change next year when the automaker is expected to bring the Recon stateside. But while the confusingly named Wagoneer S – a midsize electric crossover completely unrelated to the full-size Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer SUVs – skews more toward all-weather talent on pavement, the Recon will be something of an all-electric Wrangler alternative that lives up to the brand’s reputation for off-road capability.

At The Intersection Of Old And New

In an interview with Autocar, Jeep UK Managing Director Kris Cholmondeley said that the Recon was the product he was most excited about. The exec claimed that the electric SUV would “take everything that’s enduring about the Wrangler and modernize it,” likening the Recon to the most recent Land Rover Defender compared to its much more antiquated predecessor. The comparison isn’t much of a stretch, either. Like the Jeep Wrangler, the previous Defender was a body-on-frame off-roader with solid axles front and rear, while the current example has a unitized body and four-wheel independent suspension – like the Recon.

The similarities end in the engine room, however. While today’s Land Rover off-roader is still an internal-combustion proposition with two different V8 engine options, the modernized Jeep will be fully electric – though a plug-in hybrid variant is under consideration. Regardless of what’s sending power to all four wheels, Cholmondeley is confident that the Recon will make off-roading an enjoyable experience, calling out the abundant, easygoing torque that EVs are known for, as well as their silent operation that’ll be less disturbing to the flora and fauna surrounding the trail.

The Recon Is Likely Coming To America

Evidenced by its appearance on the Jeep consumer website, the Recon is all but guaranteed to show up in American showrooms – unlike some other recent reveals. And although it doesn’t have the stamped-steel, General Eisenhower appearance of the Wrangler, the four-door Recon will incorporate a number of the popular off-roader’s signature features. For starters, the doors are completely removable and have exposed hinges, and although the roof doesn’t completely come off like it does on the Wrangler, the Recon has Freedom panels to let the sunshine and fresh air in.

Although specifications aren’t freely available, the Recon looks like it’s riding on 32- or 33-inch BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A tires, and it has the general proportions of the four-door Wrangler. Front and rear overhangs look commendably short, and there’s plenty of ground clearance under the Jeep EV to clear rocks and logs and other trail obstacles. And as Cholmondeley intimated, the instantaneous torque output of an electric motor is perfectly suited to slow, steady rock-crawling. The Recon is expected to be fully revealed this summer, with sales commencing by the end of the year. Pricing is also still to be determined, but plan on it being a bit pricier than the Wrangler 4xe plug-in hybrid, which starts at $52,690 with destination.

Source: Autocar via Motor1

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