Recon Ev Production Is Now Delayed Until Mid-2026, So How Did Jeep Sell 56 Of Them Last Year?

Daniel Golson/Jalopnik

Every fewer months, we astatine Jalopnik (and fundamentally each different automotive media publication) pore complete automaker income reports to find nuggets to constitute about, for illustration dead cars that were still being sold aliases how celebrated a brand-new exemplary is. But each erstwhile successful a while, these typically mundane spreadsheets lead to a existent enigma being unraveled — or, astatine least, a insignificant 1 that immoderate car nerds mightiness attraction about.

Today's installment, titled "The Mystery of the Already-Sold Jeep Recons," follows nan communicative of 1 car writer (me) who noticed successful Jeep's end-of-year income study for 2025, that Jeep said it sold 56 caller Recon EVs. This is contempt nan automaker saying nan SUV wouldn't spell connected waste until early 2026, backmost erstwhile the production-spec Recon was unveiled successful November. In my extended Sherlock Holmes-rivaling investigation (a fewer emails and telephone calls and Google searches), I discovered that yes, accumulation of nan Recon has been delayed until mid-2026. But it's each a spot wonky, moreover aft getting somewhat of an mentation arsenic to why immoderate were "sold" earlier that.

Jeep

When Stellantis published its Q4 2025 income report, successful nan first week of January 2026, I noticed that nan Recon was connected nan floor plan pinch cars having been sold, which did look strange. Jeep initially showed disconnected nan Recon successful September 2022, but it wasn't until nan Los Angeles Auto Show successful November 2025 that it afloat elaborate nan caller electrical SUV, announcing specs, characteristic availability, and pricing, on pinch erstwhile we could expect nan Recon to spell connected sale. Jeep's merchandise said nan Recon would "begin accumulation early adjacent year," meaning, you'd think, nan first 4th of 2026.

But successful that Q4 income floor plan from January, Jeep shows that 22 Recons were sold successful nan 4th fourth of nan year. Even stranger, nan floor plan says 56 Recons were sold done nan full year, meaning location were 34 sold successful nan 3rd 4th of nan twelvemonth — earlier nan Recon's LA "reveal." The Recon wasn't connected the Q3 report, though, truthful those different 34 Recons are unaccounted for. And connected the Q1 2026 income report that was published past week, nan Recon isn't listed connected nan floor plan astatine all, nor is it mentioned successful nan property release.

Jeep

After seeing that fourth-quarter floor plan that reported nan 56 sold Recons, I went connected Autotrader and different akin sites to spot if immoderate were listed by dealerships, and astir a twelve aliases truthful were, but they were each "in transit" listings pinch placeholder images and details; that's emblematic for a caller exemplary that whitethorn not person reached dealers yet. So this week, aft nan Recon's absence from nan Q1 2026 chart, I decided to scour nan car income websites again, and location are still astir a twelve listings for nan Recon.

One of nan listings, from Van Nuys Jeep, had a afloat value attached to nan listing, truthful I called nan dealership to spot if they knew erstwhile nan car would beryllium arriving. The salesperson I talked to connected nan telephone said they had accusation for nan conveyance for illustration nan VIN and spec sheet, truthful it has been built and put into their machine system, but they had nary thought erstwhile it would really beryllium arriving aliases moreover beryllium successful transit. A small spot later, a 2nd salesperson sent maine a matter saying, "The 2026 Recon 4xe is delayed and I do not spot an updated model of presence to immoderate dealership yet."

Ah, now it's a existent mystery!

Jeep

I sent an email to nan folks astatine Jeep, asking if they could explicate why nan Recon showed up connected that income report, and if they could corroborate that nan Recon has, successful fact, been delayed. When it comes to nan 2nd point, nan reply is yes, nan Recon is delayed. 

A Jeep spokesperson pointed maine to a communicative published by Mopar Insiders conscionable days earlier nan Q1 2026 study came out, which quoted Jeep CEO Bob Broderdorf speaking astatine a caller media Q&A. Broderdorf confirmed that nan Recon was delayed until mid-2026, and it's each because of accumulation constraints. The Recon will beryllium built successful Toluca, Mexico, alongside nan Compass, Wagoneer S, and new Cherokee, and Jeep has to prioritize ramping up Cherokee accumulation for nan U.S. earlier it tin commencement connected Recon production. (And as we learned astatine nan extremity of March, accumulation astatine that works had been halted because of a conflict pinch 1 of its suppliers.)

"We sewage to get Cherokee afloat throttle and arsenic soon arsenic that's done midyear, we'll bring Recon," Broderdorf said, "So, if you conscionable deliberation astir nan manufacture wherever I'm at, each nan cars that we person to deliver. That is really my only existent hangup connected on erstwhile Recon comes." Sure, that's a valid logic for nan Recon being delayed for a fewer months; Broderdorf promised it's not because of nan existent authorities of nan car manufacture and nan U.S. EV market. But he besides said that bid books for nan Recon won't moreover unfastened until midyear, and that's erstwhile you tin expect to commencement seeing reviews from america media folks arsenic well. For each we know, Recons mightiness not really scope customer hands until nan fall.

Okay, but what astir those 56 Recons that were supposedly sold successful 2025? Over email, a Jeep spokesperson said, "Generally speaking, arsenic we ramp up to caller models for illustration a Recon aliases Cherokee, we statesman by getting labor successful early builds to supply feedback. And I judge those early feedback vehicles are classified arsenic a sale. We presently person Jeep Recon successful our accelerated feedback fleet for employees." It's beautiful normal believe for automakers to person in-house fleets for illustration that, and for labor to person nan first fistful of accumulation units of a caller model, but I've ne'er seen a car look connected income reports (and successful specified mini numbers) full quarters earlier it will really commencement afloat accumulation and beryllium connected waste to customers, and for those early vehicles to moreover beryllium classified arsenic income to statesman with.

There person been seemingly production-ready Recon prototypes moving astir Michigan for, like, 2 years now — arsenic I said, nan point was shown disconnected successful 2022, and nan creation hasn't changed since past — and immoderate person been spotted pinch regular licence plates alternatively of shaper plates, for illustration astir trial cars wear. I asked if those 56 sold Recons would count arsenic "production" units aliases if they're immoderate level of prototype, and nan spokesperson said, "The vehicles you would person seen astatine car shows precocious aliases seen our driving astir for testing and validation are accumulation intent." That makes maine deliberation they're late-stage prototypes, which would mean they astir apt person different VINs than accumulation cars. And if they're prototypes, I'd besides conjecture that they'll each person to beryllium crushed erstwhile they're done with, truthful if immoderate of them were really "sold" to labor beyond conscionable being added to that soul fleet, it's apt arsenic immoderate benignant of short-term lease.

Daniel Golson/Jalopnik

So, enigma solved? I conjecture so. I still don't person a clear mentation connected those sold Recons, aliases why dealers whitethorn person been listing them truthful acold successful beforehand erstwhile this hold was seemingly successful nan useful good earlier it was talked about. I cognize Broderdorf insists nan only logic for nan Recon's hold is Cherokee production, but I person a mates different ideas arsenic to why nan EV has been pushed back.

You whitethorn person already seen nan first. At nan property time of nan Los Angeles Auto Show successful November, a brace of TikTokers made a video wherever they rather virtually tore isolated a Recon that was connected Jeep's stand during property day. The video blew up, and evidently Jeep was beautiful huffy astir it. I decidedly deliberation it was a stupid point to do, and moreover stupider to station — cars astatine car shows are commonly pre-production units not precisely typical of last fit-and-finish, but moreover nan astir well-built cars wouldn't beryllium capable to return nan maltreatment those guys lobbied astatine nan Recon. But nan wide TikTok-scrolling nationalist doesn't cognize that, truthful it was a bad look for Jeep, and I wouldn't beryllium amazed if nan automaker is making judge production Recon value is arsenic bully arsenic it perchance tin beryllium earlier they commencement reaching customer hands. Both Recons astatine nan New York Auto Show past week were locked aliases had barriers astir them, moreover connected media days.

Then there's nan full electrical thing. The Recon is deceptively big, larger moreover than a Wrangler, and contempt having a beautiful immense artillery pack, it doesn't person competitory specs. At nan most, it will beryllium capable to get 250 miles of range, aliases conscionable 230 connected nan off-roady Moab trim, which is simply a reliable pill to swallow astatine astir $70k to commencement for nan Moab. The marketplace for EVs successful nan U.S. is presently tumultuous, to opportunity nan least, pinch galore automakers — Stellantis particularly — changing EV plans and pivoting to present hybrids and range-extender models instead. Early past year, we heard rumors that Jeep was moving connected a hybrid Recon, and I wouldn't beryllium amazed if it's rushing to put that exemplary into production, either earlier aliases alternatively of nan EV.

I conjecture we'll conscionable person to hold and spot erstwhile Jeep really says it's started Recon production, and whether immoderate will show up connected adjacent quarter's income report. Until then, if you're a Jeep insider who wants to dish, my DMs are open. At slightest nan Recon isn't arsenic delayed arsenic acold retired as the Scouts are.