Jeep’s off-road electric SUV managed just 160 miles in a real-world highway range test

This one is for car buyers rather than home energy upgrades, but here's the gist: Jeep's new electric off-road SUV, the Recon EV, is falling short of its advertised range in real-world driving. The vehicle starts at $66,995 and is rated by the EPA at up to 222 miles on a 94 kWh battery. In a highway range test, it managed just 160 miles on a charge.

The shortfall comes down to efficiency. The Recon got 1.7 miles per kWh in the test, making it one of the least efficient EVs the testers have measured out of more than 100 models. For comparison, a Jeep Wagoneer S built on the same platform and using the same size battery managed 280 miles and nearly double the efficiency, because it's designed for road driving with lower ground clearance and a more aerodynamic shape. The Recon, by contrast, is built for off-roading, with big 33-inch tires, over 9 inches of ground clearance, and a dual-motor setup putting out 650 horsepower.

If you're weighing an EV purchase with home charging in mind, the takeaway is that advertised EPA range numbers can differ a lot from what you actually get on the highway, especially for heavier, less aerodynamic vehicles built for off-road use. That gap matters when you're thinking about how often you'd need to charge and how far you can realistically go on a single charge before plugging in at home.