An opportunity. This is how Dodge CEO Tim Kuniskis talks about the inevitable change of guard that will see the current Challenger and Charger retiring after 2023, with the V8 muscle confirmed to be replaced by battery power. And with a company spokesperson having recently dismissed a story talking about HEMIs surviving alongside the said EV revolution, it’s time to prepare for the future.
Dodge started talking about its eMuscle—this is the official branding—intentions as early as January last year. Back then, the company’s head honcho told NBC (among other sources), that the company is no longer prepared to put up with the emission costs it has to cover for selling gas guzzlers like the Hellcat models.
Once summer hit, Dodge released a teaser showcasing a big electric coupe reminiscent of the 1968 Charger (you’ll find the video below, wrapped in the carmaker’s boldly-flavored advertising style). And last June’s Stellantis EV day allowed us to take a closer look at Dodge’s parent company electrification plans (we’ll get back to that).
Given all of the above, along with other official statements mentioning that 2023 is the end of the line for the current iteration of Dodge muscle cars, the Detroit automaker’s plans seemed clear.
However, just a few days ago (July 28), Motor Trend ran a story talking about Dodge planning to offer a next-generation Charger and Challenger on a new ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) platform that would be able to accommodate a V8. And, for a moment there, it felt like the Mopar maker was actually going to allow HEMIs to survive alongside the teased eMuscle.
And while it’s only been a few short days since then, Dodge spokespersons have confirmed to multiple sources that the Motor Trend story is incorrect. For one, here’s what a company representative told Motor Authority: “The story was false. As Tim (Kuniskis, company CEO) confirmed to you, the Charger/Challenger platform and its Hemi (V-8) power go away after 2023. The unnamed replacement will be BEV,”
OK, so Dodge confirmed the Gen III HEMIs are retiring, but what about the Hurricane 3.0L straight-six?
The November statement the spokesperson is referring to saw the CEO telling Motor Trend that “these cars that you know today will go out of production by the time we get to 2024,” while not mentioning any form of ICE successor, be it a V8 or Stellantis’s new Hurricane turbocharged inline-six.
The latter is an all-new 3.0L unit set to reach showrooms later this year in at least two versions, which promise to deliver V8 levels of pulling power with an economy boost of at least 15%. The first one will be focused on economy and pack around 400 hp, while the second will favor performance with at least 500 hp on tap.
The eMuscle concept car, a drivable machine, is coming later this month
Now, as Dodge had announced, its first electric muscle car, which can be seen in the teaser video at the bottom of the page, will arrive in concept form—following a delay (the show car was supposed to come in the second quarter of the year), we’ll get to meet it later this month as part of Speed Week. We’re talking about a series of Dodge events in Pontiac, Michigan.
And while Dodge is supporting vloggers with supercharged HEMIs for wacky builds like this Hellcat Redeye-swapped Viper, it is preparing to release three new vehicles between August 15 and 17. One of these will be a plug-in hybrid (probably the 2023 Hornet, a compact crossover based on the Alfa Romeo Tonale), the second involves the said electric muscle car concept, while the third remains unknown.
As previously stated, Dodge’s first electric muscle car will enter production in 2024. And it looks like Dodge is ready to fill in the big shoes of its current muscle monsters.
For one, here’s what Kuniskis mentioned in the said NBC interview: “The whole world’s going get there [electrification] and when it does, the price point of that technology is going to come down and… the crazy people are going to take the electrification that has now become accessible from a price point and make that performance-based instead of economy-based,”
What numbers can we expect from what Dodge calls the world’s first electric muscle car?
And, if we get back to Stellantis’ 2021 EV day, we can discuss the STLA large platform set to underpin the next generation of muscle cars. This means a battery package of between 101-118 kWh and up to 500 miles of range. And since the company’s largest single power unit will be capable of delivering 330 kW and the said teaser has hinted at AWD, you can expect two such electric motors to power the retro-styled coupe.
In other words, a maximum output of 886 horsepower and a 0 to 60 mph time of around 2 seconds. And that’s without speculating the introduction of a three-motor model with a four-digit output.
And while the details Dodge has released so far prepare us for a coupe, there are plenty of questions to be answered: will there be a single model or will Dodge preserve the current Challenger coupe and Charger sedan path? And should we just rule out the current iron-block Gen III HEMIs or internal combustion altogether?
Until we get our answers, we’ve brought along an artist rendering that gives the current Challenger a futuristic edge for the battery era. Coming from pixel master Kleber Silva (aka KDesign AG), the 2D work pushes our nostalgia button. For one, the added bits involve the Fratzhog logo that Dodge is reviving for its eMuscle (check out the taillights of the CGI and the concept teaser).
And for those willing to see a next-generation Dodge Charger sedan in such fully electrified form, we’ll return with a dedicated story later today. And here is the sharp rendering of a Charger eMuscle.
