Dodge Charger EV, gas-powered muscle automobile revealed

DETROIT — Dodge will not abandon its conventional, gearhead, high-octane Charger and Challenger homeowners with its next-generation muscle automobile.

The automaker on Tuesday revealed the brand new Dodge Charger as an all-electric automobile in addition to a next-generation gas-powered muscle automobile. It is going to be the primary all-electric automobile from Dodge.

The normal automobile has been in query since late 2022, when Dodge mentioned manufacturing of the longstanding Charger and Challenger would be discontinued on the finish of final 12 months. At the moment, the corporate mentioned an EV would substitute them, declining to debate the potential for future gasoline fashions.

Providing EV and gas-powered variations of the automobile will enable Dodge to be extra versatile in terms of manufacturing, as gross sales of all-electric automobiles have been rising more slowly than expected. Extra gas- and electric-powered Chargers, together with a “Banshee” EV, will observe the preliminary automobiles.

Dodge CEO Tim Kuniskis known as the EV a “recreation changer within the business.” The brand new gas-powered fashions, in the meantime, will outperform their V-6 engine predecessors, in addition to among the V-8 variants.

“We’re taking the efficiency of the ‘golden age’ that in the present day that you simply choose every thing by and we’re taking the know-how of the longer term to verify [the Dodge brothers’] legacy does not die,” Kuniskis mentioned throughout a media briefing. “The Banshee goes to be our final performer.”

Each the EV and gasoline fashions will finally are available in two- and four-door variants to exchange the four-door Dodge Charger and two-door Challenger. That change is predicted to scale back components and prices — following a mandate from Carlos Tavares, CEO of Stellantis, which owns Dodge, to his model executives.

Dodge mentioned all EV and gasoline fashions will share inside and exterior designs, which additionally ought to assist with manufacturing complexity and decrease prices.

When requested whether or not the EV might be worthwhile, Kuniskis reiterated feedback made by Tavares that the corporate won’t sell electrified automobiles at a loss to be able to enhance gross sales or meet federal gas financial system requirements.

As many manufacturers in recent times switched to smaller and extra fuel-efficient engines, Dodge rolled out Hellcat models and different high-performance automobiles. Such fashions helped generate consideration for the model however did not assist the automaker’s carbon footprint, forcing it to purchase carbon credit from automakers corresponding to Tesla.

Stellantis’ “Dare Ahead 2030” strategic plan contains shifting towards electrified and extra environment friendly propulsion programs, chopping its international carbon footprint by 50% by 2030 and main the transportation business by attaining web carbon zero by 2038.

Kuniskis mentioned there are not any plans for V-8 or plug-in hybrid electrical fashions for the brand new Charger, which might be produced at a Stellantis meeting plant in Windsor, Ontario, in Canada.

The design of the brand new Charger is closely based mostly on an idea automobile Dodge revealed in August 2022. It’s a trendy, but retro, model of the present Dodge Challenger with a extra aerodynamic design that is nonetheless muscular. Most notably, the entrance finish options a big opening for air to move by, which the corporate is looking an “R-Wing.”

Kuniskis mentioned the idea automobile was the “manufacturing automobile hiding in plain sight” in an try to get clients used to the brand new design.

Dodge remains to be engaged on how the EV will sound, Kuniskis mentioned. The purpose is to try to retain the roaring sound and driving traits of Dodge’s present gas-powered Charger and Challenger.

Whereas EVs will be quick, with a “linear acceleration” that produces astonishing 0-60 mph times, they typically lack the driving dynamics that many efficiency automobile homeowners take pleasure in. It is an issue auto executives have privately been trying to unravel because the business transitions to EVs.

The gas-powered Charger might be powered by a 3.0-liter twin turbo “Hurricane” inline six-cylinder engine that powers different Stellantis automobiles such because the Jeep Wagoneer and Ram 1500.

The one distinction within the EVs and gasoline automobiles might be the usage of a “Fratzog” split deltoid logo for EVs quite than Dodge’s present twin racing stripes. Kuniskis mentioned the corporate remains to be figuring out whether or not to make use of the Fratzog — a made-up phrase initially utilized by Dodge from 1962 by 1976 — for the gasoline fashions.