Dodge teases electric muscle car as the next step in pushing the performance boundary

[Shawn Knight]

What just happened? Dodge in a recently published teaser video stated that it “will not sell electric cars,” but that it will sell American eMuscle. “If a charger can make a Charger quicker, we’re in,” said Dodge Brand CEO Tim Kuniskis. So what exactly does that mean?

Kuniskis said Dodge engineers are reaching a practical limit of what they can squeeze from internal combustion innovation. “They know… electric motors can give us more,” Kuniskis added, “and if we know of a technology that can give our customers an advantage, we have an obligation to embrace it.”

So yeah, Dodge is going to sell electric cars, but they’ll address the performance category first.

Dodge’s five-minute-long video was mostly marketing talk and light on actual details, but we did get to see some shadowy renders at the end. From what we can tell, Dodge’s electric muscle car might be modeled after the classic Challenger – perhaps even more so than the modern Challenger. Or, does it look more like a classic Charger? It’s hard to tell with all the smoke and darkness.

At the end of the clip, we see the vehicle performing an all-wheel-drive burnout, a huge hint that Dodge’s electric muscle car will put down power to all four wheels. It also appears as though Dodge is modernizing its classic triangular logo, and maybe even illuminating it.

Dodge’s eMuscle vehicle is expected to arrive in 2024. If it can stay true to Dodge's muscle car roots, it could eventually win over petrolheads. Still, I suspect many are going to miss the roar of a powerful combustion engine.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/90351-dodge-teases-electric-muscle-car-next-step-pushing.html

 

[Reehahs]

The noise is key to Dodge experience, I hope they can do a better job than MCU in Endgame when Tony drives the Audi e-Tron making ICE noises:

 

[Tantor]

Chrysler needs something a bit more stirring than the Ford Mustang EV, which is basically a glorified SUV.

When they finally roll out the lower cost, consumer grade EVs, a lot of people will be mightily disappointed at the pathetic performance.

 

[scavengerspc]

When they finally roll out the lower cost, consumer grade EVs, a lot of people will be mightily disappointed at the pathetic performance.

If you truly believe that, for some reason, then I would encourage you to go test drive an old Ford Focus EV.

Chrysler needs something a bit more stirring than the Ford Mustang EV, which is basically a glorified SUV.

That's like saying a Thor Motor Coach Challenger is a glorified Greyhound bus.

 

[wiyosaya]

Chrysler needs something a bit more stirring than the Ford Mustang EV, which is basically a glorified SUV.

When they finally roll out the lower cost, consumer grade EVs, a lot of people will be mightily disappointed at the pathetic performance.

EVs have all their torque available instantly where as ICE powered cars do not. Torque is the ability to accelerate. Even my '06 Prius has 277 ft*lbs of torque that coming from an electric motor combined with a 1.8L ICE. Few, if any cars with that size of an ICE engine, have that amount of torque available at any engine speed. When I am on the highway in my Prius and put the pedal to the metal, the car is without a lack of performance.

The fact that EVs have that torque available instantly is the main reason Teslas and other EVs can do 0-60MPH in such insane times like 1.9-seconds. If that is not what you call performance, I cannot imagine what is.

Besides, though most males seem to think so, cars are not all about performance, IMO.

 

[scavengerspc]

The fact that EVs have that torque available instantly is the main reason Teslas and other EVs can do 0-60MPH in such insane times like 1.9-seconds. If that is not what you call performance, I cannot imagine what is.

Which got me thinking. How did the myth of anemic performance in EV's even come about? We can go back to the late 90s' when the Chevrolet EV1 was clocking 0-60 times in the 6.5 second range. And it was certainly no secret.
Even the seriously overweight 2000 Ranger EV could do it in the 9.5 second range. (Source of both stats is Car and Driver)

So how did this delusion of poor EV performance even start?
It's not like the imagined lack of performance was ever the truth.

 

[wiyosaya]

Which got me thinking. How did the myth of anemic performance in EV's even come about? We can go back to the late 90s' when the Chevrolet EV1 was clocking 0-60 times in the 6.5 second range. And it was certainly no secret.
Even the seriously overweight 2000 Ranger EV could do it in the 9.5 second range. (Source of both stats is Car and Driver)

So how did this delusion of poor EV performance even start?
It's not like the imagined lack of performance was ever the truth.

Unfortunately, I think we have, at least in part, the Prius to blame or perhaps I should say Arnold Schwarzenegger and his "manly" claims that the Prius is a "girly" car. Unfortunately, I cannot find an article that cites the specific claim, but, IIRC, he made it at one time.

In defense of the Prius, though, it is technically not a pure EV. But even my 2006 has that 277 ft*lbs of torque which, to me, makes it nearly as peppy as my previous car an 1993 Acura Integra LX

My next car is going to be a Prius Prime. My neighbor's wife has one and he said his wife went 2,000 miles without filling the gas tank. I am going to love NOT visiting gas stations.

 

[scavengerspc]

My next car is going to be a Prius Prime

You got me curious so I read up. 133 MPGe? Holy crap that's impressive.
And though it's a hybrid it also a plug in so that would explain the mileage without gassing up.

 

[ron baer]

Yeah just try doing a round trip more than 300 miles

 

[scavengerspc]

Yeah just try doing a round trip more than 300 miles

That would actually be very easy.
Why would you think that would be so hard man?