Will an Electric Jeep Wrangler Ever Come? Recon Hits Just 160 Miles

Short answer: no, you can’t buy an electric Jeep Wrangler today, and Jeep has not given a clean, official launch date for one. What you can buy is the Jeep Recon, an off-road EV that Jeep pitches as the electric alternative to the Wrangler. And right now the Recon is in the news for the wrong reason: it managed only 160 miles in a real highway range test.

Quick Facts

• Electric Jeep Wrangler on sale today? No. The electrified Wrangler you can buy is the 4xe plug-in hybrid.
• Expected timing: Reports from 2023 point to 2028 for the next-generation Wrangler with electric powertrains. Not officially confirmed with a fresh date.
• Jeep Recon highway range (Car and Driver): 160 miles at a steady 75 mph vs 222 miles EPA rating.
• Recon price: About $65,000 to start, around $66,995 with destination charges.

Will an electric Jeep Wrangler actually come to market?

Let’s be real, the “electric Wrangler” talk has been running for years, and a lot of websites mix up the Wrangler and the Recon. They are two different vehicles.

Here is what is on record so far, in order:

• 2022: Jeep showed the Recon and its designer called it a “brother” of the Wrangler. The company was clear that the Recon is not a replacement for the Wrangler.
• May 2023: Then Jeep CEO Christian Meunier told Auto Express that the next-generation Wrangler will be an electric model, as summarised here.
• October 2023: A tentative Stellantis and UAW union agreement showed production of the next Wrangler (J70) starting in 2028 with two electric powertrains, one battery-electric and one with a range-extender engine, according to Motor1’s report.
• June 2024: Jeep said a fully electric Wrangler is not coming anytime soon and pointed to the Recon as the off-road EV for now. Jeep did show the Wrangler Magneto 3.0 concept with up to 650 hp, but a concept is not a showroom car.

Reality check: all of these reports are from 2022 to 2024. I could not find a fresh 2026 official statement with a confirmed date. Stellantis has changed its EV plans before, so treat “2028” as a report, not a promise.

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Jeep Recon: the electric Wrangler alternative you can buy now

The 2026 Recon sits on Stellantis’ STLA Large platform, the same one under the Wagoneer S. Jeep says it is the only EV with removable doors, rear quarter glass and swing-gate glass, which is the Wrangler-style open-air feel people want.

It launched in the Moab trim with dual motors, roughly 650 hp, and a starting price of $65,000 before destination charges. That is a big premium over a Wrangler, and range was already the main complaint in early reviews. Motor1’s first drive said the Recon needs more range.

Recon range test: only 160 miles on the highway

Car and Driver put the Recon Moab through its highway range test: full charge, steady 75 mph. The result was 160 miles from the 94 kWh battery, which is about 1.7 miles per kWh. The EPA rating for this trim is 222 miles, so the real number is more than 60 miles short. Car and Driver has tested over 100 EVs, and this lands among the least efficient.

Source: Car and Driver highway range test.

Why is the Recon so thirsty?

The Wagoneer S shares the same platform, the same 94 kWh battery and the same 335 hp front and rear motors, yet it went 280 miles. Car and Driver puts the gap down to the Recon’s off-road design:

• Ground clearance: 9.1 inches on the Recon vs 6.4 inches on the Wagoneer S.
• Drag coefficient: 0.40 vs 0.29. The Recon is a brick, the Wagoneer S is slippery.
• Frontal area: 32.7 sq ft vs 29.1 sq ft.
• Tyres: The Wagoneer S runs more road-focused tyres.

Also worth knowing: InsideEVs pointed out that if you stick to the usual 10 to 80 percent charging window, that 160 miles turns into about 112 miles of usable range at 75 mph. Jeep claims a 10 to 80 percent charge takes 23 minutes. A steady 75 mph run is a harsh test though, not an everyday average. InsideEVs saw about 2.5 miles/kWh on its own short drive.

So should you wait for the electric Wrangler?

If you want a Wrangler-style Jeep today, the choices are the petrol Wrangler, the 4xe plug-in hybrid, or the Recon. If trail time is your thing and you are fine with stopping to charge near trailheads, the Recon makes sense on paper. If you do long highway runs, that 160-mile result is a serious deal-breaker. Waiting for a true electric Wrangler means waiting for something Jeep has not dated officially.

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