A new electric Defender alternative will reach UK shores in 2026 with 650bhp and an anticipated 280 miles of range, and Sam Sheehan has been to see it.

A New Defender Alternative?

You might think it bold for a brand with less than 2% market share in Europe to launch a premium SUV billed as an electric alternative to the hot-selling Land Rover Defender. But Jeep has now officially revealed its new Recon, a fully-electric SUV with removable doors, up to 650bhp, and a promise of full off-road capabilities, making it a new 4.8-metre-long entrant into the same world of premium, active-lifestyle-adapted 4x4s that the Defender finds itself atop. And potentially a bargain of the segment.

Revealed on stage in America and shown privately to a select few journalists in Europe, only a fully electric version of the Recon is planned. It's expected to cost from about $50,000 in the US before it launches in Europe late in 2026. And while, as an EV, it's not a direct rival to the Defender, Jeep's parent company, Stellantis, has more than a bit of data to show that Europeans and Brits have a healthy appetite for premium electric SUVs, especially as company cars. And having now seen the first example on European soil for myself, I can confirm that none of this class's existing contenders can offer the versatility and outright off-road capability of the Recon. It's unique in the class - and not just as an EV.

Power and Performance

Take the mechanical setup itself. Using a 100kWh battery and an electric motor for each axle, the Recon produces up to 650 bhp and 840 Nm of torque. But it does that using two final drive ratios, with the rear axle's being set at 15:1 with a locking differential, and the front's at 11:1 with an open diff', meaning the rear can provide a higher peak of torque multiplication, to aid with off-road traction. In the US, this mechanical setup will be bolstered by chunky off-road tyres wrapped around 18-inch alloys, while we Europeans will have to make do with off-road capable, but road-focused, equivalents, since we won't get this most hardy of 'Moab' trim variants.

Still, I can confirm the high ride height, tall clearance between the wheels and wheel arches, and no shortage of rough-and-tumble-ready design features mean the Recon looks rugged as anything this side of an Ineos Grenadier. The bumpers up front sport protruding plastic parts to push through foliage, and while Europe-spec Recons won't get the built-in front tow hooks that the US design demonstrator sports here, due to pedestrian safety requirement, they will wear the plastic cladding to protect lower sections of the body, and sport spot lights that are slightly recessed to keep them out of harm's way.

Yes, it has removable doors

All Recons will get the same party trick: removable doors that can be lifted out of place, just like the Wrangler's, with only the unclipping of one wire per door and the challenge of carrying 45kg of metal and glass away to contend with. The rearmost side windows can also be fully removed, opening the boot to the elements, while a reclining fabric top creates a targa-like experience for up to five Recon passengers. I can totally get the appeal of cruising around Los Angeles with the doors off and the roof open on a summer's day in the electric Recon. Maybe not in Colchester, though.

You certainly wouldn't want to be too open to the elements when exercising the Recon's performance. With 335bhp produced by each motor for a combined 650bhp (the two motors don't peak at the same time) and 840Nm of torque, the Recon can accelerate from 0-62mph in 3.7 secs. It can also, if you cycle through its five drive modes, offer a more delicate control of that muscle, with a clever Rock mode that not only holds the car in place as you switch from accelerator to brake, but also allows for ultra-accurate applications of power.

Off-Road Capability

While the design demonstrator I had a nose around wasn't equipped with its full powertrain, it did sport the production car's 'short long arm suspension' (double wishbone to you and I) up front and integral link rear setup. This off-road-tuned chassis allows for 34-degree approach angles, 34.5-degree departure angles and a 23.5-degree breakover angle, but since European Recons won't have such beefy tyres, those numbers might reduce a bit in our cars. And before you ask, yes, the car will be able to wade through streams and rivers, with the natural advantage EVs have of not sucking up water into an engine, aiding its (to be confirmed) wading performance.

Interior

Inside, the Recon is unashamedly rugged, with grab handles on the dash and butch, square design features that set the tough, off-road tone. Naturally, there are two screens (it's 2025, after all), but they're slim and not dominating. The design demonstrators didn't work, but expect an evolution of the menus and displays we've already seen in models like the Avenger and the incoming new Compass. The plastics and materials in the demo weren't representative of the final product, but first impressions suggest this cabin will be as spacious and practical as they come.

This is true in the back as well, with plenty of legroom for a near-six-foot (182cm) tall journalist and no shortage of headroom, even when that fabric top is shut. Two adults could sit in total comfort, while three adults could probably just about fit comfortably, shoulder-to-shoulder. That doesn't come at the cost of boot space either, because the Recon's generous rear compartment is wide and tall, aided by a liftable floor that exposes underfloor storage. Pop the bonnet, and you'll find 40 more litres under that too, meaning more than just charge cables can be hidden away there.

Charging

Talking of charging, we haven't got exact figures for that yet, but Jeep has revealed that the car's being developed with an anticipated 280-mile range. That's not exactly groundbreaking stuff in a world where 400-mile-plus electric SUVs are starting to reach roads on a regular basis. But the Jeep's use of tough, off-road-capable drivetrain and suspension hardware means it's probably easier to forgive here than in a more conventional road-ground SUV. Even with a rear-motor-only Eco mode, the setup must create a fair bit of drag.

Helping the Jeep's case is that aforementioned low (for the class) starting price. Import costs will inevitably drive up the price of European cars from the US's $50,000 (Recons will be built at Stellantis's Toluca Assembly Plant in Mexico), base-spec versions of the Recon could undercut the Defender and Grenadier, which both start from close to £60k in Britain in equivalent-length forms. For buyers who want something different to those 4x4s - or, let's be frank, for electric company car drivers who want something to contrast the BMW iX3s and Mercedes EQEs that are filling up office car parks - the Recon is certainly an exciting proposition. Whether it can significantly contribute to Jeep's aims of becoming a mainstream SUV player in Europe again probably doesn't matter. It's just a cool flag bearer for the brand. As for the big sales stuff, don't forget, a new Compass is soon to join the Avenger in Jeep's ranks. More on that next week…

words by Sam Sheehan
photography by Jeep

New Jeep Recon Revealed - And We've Seen It