When Jeeps Fly, and Why I'm Still Holding My Breath
Electric vehicles have become every manufacturer's sudden golden ticket, including Jeep, the king of rock crawling and mud slinging. As I sat down to my morning cup of joe, I read about the electric Jeep Recon with its near-600bhp. Now, I've seen a lot in my lifetime, from the piston-pounding might of the muscle car era to the air-cutting designs of super yachts. So when the American SUV brand, Jeep, decides to challenge the Land Rover Defender – the British behemoth – it's akin to an Olympic sprinter challenging a sumo wrestler to a 100-yard dash. Interesting!
Launching in 2025, the Recon boasts a range of about 373 miles (for those wondering, that’s further than driving from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, with air conditioning on full blast and Sweet Home Alabama playing on repeat). It’s deemed the electric sibling to the legendary Jeep Wrangler, which is a bit like saying I'm related to Brad Pitt because we both have two legs.
Now, onto the specs. We've got a battery beast that can do 0-60mph in 3.5 seconds. That's faster than it takes me to remember where I put my car keys! And for those of you who relish in Jeep’s tradition of an open-air experience (wind in your hair, bugs in your teeth), you’ll love that this electric stud has removable doors and an open-top design. It's quite literally a breath of fresh (and possibly dusty) air.
But as I sip my black coffee, I have to chuckle at Jeep's European boss, Antonella Bruno. The Recon in Europe will be a "white-space car." White-space? Sounds fancy. Must be European for "It's darn different, and y'all are gonna like it." She emphasizes that it's unique and boxy, which in my mind is like proudly stating you've got a square wheel. Works for some, I guess!
Bruno goes on about the Recon's position in the market segment, which seems to be a tad below the Wrangler. Now, let's pause for a moment and ponder on this. The Wrangler, in places not called the UK, is available as a plug-in hybrid. But apparently, it's too much of a task to engineer the current Wrangler 4xe for right-hand drives in this generation. Ah, the intricacies of car design and manufacture. Not everyone can fit into skinny jeans, after all.
Jeep's aspiration? “At a global level, we want to be the 4x4 leader in electrification,” says Bruno. Well, more power to you (literally!). Yet, the cherry on top of this electric sundae is Jeep's positioning. They're not setting their sights on Land Rover in the UK and Europe. Oh no, they’re peeking over at Volkswagen and Mini. Well, if you’re going to invade a market, might as well make a splash, right?
But here’s the thing. In my decades of experience, new isn't always better. And while I'm eager to witness the Recon, with its robust power and bold claims, I've got one foot on the brake, waiting to see if this electric titan truly can carry the legacy of Jeep.
Yours truly,
Captain Electro
