Jeep Showed Off Its Future EVs To Dealers, And They're Impressed

Jeep is hard at work translating its iconic design into a lineup of revolutionary EVs. Two of which are the Recon and Wagoneer S, which were revealed at a dealer event held by parent company Stellantis. We've seen the pair of SUVs before, but this is the first time that dealers have had the opportunity to get a closer, in-person look, and according to Automotive News, they walked away impressed.

Josh Douglas, the general manager of the Lee Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram dealer in Maine, shared his thoughts on both SUVs with Automotive News. "The best part for me is that they're playing off the Wrangler," he said regarding the Recon. As for the Wagoneer S, which paves a new, more luxurious road for Jeep, Douglas liked how it didn't stray too far from the brand's rugged ethos, but while "still incorporating differentiators so that it is an EV." While we haven't seen the interior of Wagoneer S just yet, Douglas said it was very high-end.

On the other hand, we have Josh Towbin, who had previously sold his Jeep dealer in Las Vegas. But after seeing what the brand has in store for the future, Towbin is having second thoughts and is considering a return to selling Jeeps. Upon seeing the Recon, he said, "I was a fan the second I saw it. I get a vibe for a car, if it's going to be a hit or not, just like a gut feeling … I think that car is just going to be a guaranteed hit. It's got the Jeep off-road capabilities."

The Recon in particular had many excited for the future of the brand. It will be positioned as an all-electric equivalent to the Wrangler, boasting similar off-road capabilities and a boxy, upright design that shows off its old military roots. Owners will also have the ability to remove the door panels and roof in the usual Jeep fashion. While the Recon definitely hopes to lure current Wrangler buyers toward something more electrifying, it still manages to maintain a look of its own, with an illuminated seven-slot light bar flanked by squared-off headlights.

Meanwhile, the Wagoneer S takes on a completely different path. It's geared more upmarket, made to compete with the BMW iX and Audi Q8 E-Tron. The Wagoneer S will be exploring a segment Jeep has never touched before, and while its more premium design lacks a real sense of ruggedness, its evolution of the seven-slot grille carries some Jeep character. It's worth noting that the Wagoneer S is not an electric eqivalent to the enormous, three-row Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer, as the electric crossover will only have two rows of seating. The Wagoneer badge is only there to indicate its upmarket intentions, as Jeep seems to have made a premium subbrand out of the name.

Both the Recon and Wagoneer S are slated to go on sale in 2024, so it shouldn't be too long before the two SUVs are fully revealed to the public.

Are you as excited as the dealers are about the Recon and Wagoneer S?

Image Credits: Jeep