Dodge’s electric muscle car, due in 2024, is only one of Mopar’s EV schemes
Stellantis opened up the floodgates today and spilled a torrent of news about its electrification plans. Fasten your seatbelts: From an all-wheel-drive Dodge EV to Mopar’s F-150 Lightning challenger, change is on the horizon.
First off, let’s look at Dodge. CEO Tim Kuniskis has admitted that tightening emissions regulations will spell the end for the 700–800-hp Hellcat V-8. Well aware that the brand’s image is founded on raucous internal combustion powerplants, Kuniskis doubled down during the company’s presentation: “Dodge will not sell electric cars, Dodge will sell American Muscle.” Notably, the text that accompanied his declaration spelled that final word “eMuscle.”
We can all vouch for the fact that Dodge buyers expect performance; Kuniskis is betting that the brand’s young, millennial-heavy demographic will welcome electric powertrains not because of the fashionable technology they represent, but because of the experience they can deliver, and Dodge wants to encapsulate what an all-electric performance car can be. The marque hereby promises to deliver the world’s first all-electric muscle car in 2024. Considering that Dodge classifies the Charger as a muscle car, we’re not sure how it’s ignoring the Tesla Model S, but the teaser for the upcoming model does have our attention.
The black, heavily shadowed muscle car in the presentation notably has all-wheel-drive, as evidenced by the four-wheel burnout. The grille, with hidden headlights and a thin strip of perimeter accent lighting, pays clear homage to the 1968 Charger. Another nostalgic touch is the three-pointed Fratzog emblem, a logo which adorned Dodge vehicles from 1962–76. There’s one centered on the front and on the rear. You can watch Kuniskis’ presentation below, or just skip to the 4:40 mark in the video below to peer at the electric burnout machine.
As for Jeep, the off-road brand shared a video highlighting some of the future technologies it hopes to implement, including autonomous off-road driving that has interesting applications we’ve never considered, like sending your Wrangler to pick you up at a trailhead for one-way hiking trips.
Jeep also shared a photo of the upcoming Grand Cherokee 4xe plugged into a solar charging station, one of many that Jeep intends to install. There’s no news yet of the two-row SUV’s expected all-electric range or fuel economy, but it could well be a hit. The Wrangler 4xe is currently the fastest-selling plug-in hybrid in the country and the second-fastest-selling vehicle overall; only the C8 Corvette spends fewer days on dealer lots. Jeep plans to offer a 4xe powertrain in each of the market segments where it competes by 2025, and an all-electric Wagoneer as well.
Ram got in on the electric vehicle announcements too, highlighting the all-electric Ram 1500 that would roll off production lines beginning in 2024. A front three-quarter shot of the proposed pickup can be seen in the video below, along with a shot of its four-wheel-independent-suspension platform.
Some big technical news included four platforms built from the ground up to underpin battery electric vehicles, architectures which will likely be shared across many Stellantis brands. One is body-on-frame; we assume it’s the same one mentioned in the Ram video above, and potentially the same platform destined for the Wagoneer. The promise of 500-mile range plus 150-kW charging has Ford’s F-150 Lightning (300 miles) and GMC’s Hummer EV (350+ miles) beat, but Ram is also playing catchup here, so there’s no telling what Ford and GM will have to counter Ram by 2024.
Which of these new electric Mopar offerings are you most excited to see? Let us know in the comments below.
