Dodge stopped building fuel-burning Chargers in 2023 with the promise of the popular muscle machine returning as an electric and gas model in 2024. As you’re no doubt aware, the new electric Charger has since been revealed, but it’s not shipping yet. However, Dodge is accelerating Charger production, per a new rumor – but it’s allegedly not the electric Charger that’s getting the ramp-up. Instead Dodge is moving ahead early with the gas-powered version of the new design, and has pushed the schedule up by five months, per the rumour. Stellantis is remaining quiet about the situation, but this move makes sense.
Up to this point, all the automaker has told the public is that the electric Charger would come first. In fact, it was slated to arrive sometime late this year in coupe form, with four-door versions in early 2025.
According to MoparInsiders, the timeline for the piston-powered Charger is charging ahead faster than expected. “Dodge is reportedly accelerating the release of its upcoming Charger SIXPACK internal combustion engine (ICE) models, with production beginning five months ahead of schedule.” It claims that the cars would’ve originally made it to dealers late next year. Now that’s evidently changed.
Mopar Insiders cites unnamed sources who claim the move comes because the brand is responding to consumer demand – specifically, demand for combustion-engine muscle cars. For anyone watching things like Dodge’s Instagram page, that probably isn’t all that shocking.
Back in August, Mopar faithful freaked out in the worst way over the new Charger EV. The automaker posted audio of the Fratzonic “exhaust” system and it didn’t go over great. It wasn’t just that fans didn’t like the sound; they clearly clamored for gas-powered engines. “We WANT HEMI’s!!!!!!,” “lol we want real V8 noises,” and “Bring HEMIs back” were just a few of the comments there.
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Those fans are highly unlikely to ever get a new Hemi-powered Charger, but Dodge offers a middle ground. That earth is the new twin-turbocharged inline-six Hurricane engine in the upcoming Charger. It should make around 420 horsepower in its least powerful guise and up to 550 for the high-output version. No, those aren’t Hellcat figures, but give the Hurricane time to develop. Given the reaction of fans to the Charger EV, ramping up gas-powered Charger production makes sense, but it’s not the only thing in play. [Ed Note: And it’s not just the reaction. The reality is that the market for full EVs is smaller than the market for full gas cars fo a number of reasons, including infrastructure concerns, range anxiety, price, and just generally EV skepticism. This isn’t really specific to Dodge. -DT]
As MoparInsiders points out, President Trump returning to office could mean changes for EV policies in the USA that result in slower EV growth. That’s something that no EV automaker wants and something Stellantis probably would have liked three years ago, but doesn’t help right now. Dodge may be trying to get as far ahead as possible before it finds itself on its back foot.
We aren’t aware of any accounts of dealers begging for ICE Chargers ahead of electrics, but don’t be shocked if they’re out there. Dealers recognize the challenge of selling EVs to buyers who for decades have loved cars like the Charger Hellcat, machines that celebrate the sound and fury of powerful fuel-burning engines. Offering both ICE and EV options is bound to be a good thing for the dealers, and bringing the ICE models to market first may be best for the brand.
For its part, Dodge remains perfectly vague about the subject. When reached for comment, the brand simply told us “We have not made any new announcements regarding future product plans.” We can’t say for sure that MoparInsiders‘ sources are correct, but it sounds plausible. So, if you want a new Dodge Charger, and you don’t want the battery-electric version, maybe salvation is coming soon.
After driving the six I gotta say the turbo lag is fun but out of character in a truck. I don’t want to get boosted when driving delicately on trails, a common situation for me. For the new charger/challenger? Yep, should be lots of fun.
there is a precedent for calling the 6 a HEMIas well, the Top preformance models in Australia got a HEMI 6 back in the day.
https://www.theautopian.com/the-ultimate-sleeper-how-chrysler-australia-turned-an-abandoned-american-engine-into-a-racing-beast-then-quietly-put-it-into-a-few-ultra-rare-sedans/
so no reason to say people cannot have a HEMI powered car.
I haven’t seen it mentioned yet, but aren’t they scaling back/pausing Wagoneer production, and that’s a purely Hurricane powered model now, so they’re likely 1. Behind on battery production, and 2. facing a glut of i6 production that they have to allocate somewhere, and the customer demand makes it an easy switch
The next domino to fall in the impending Trumpocene era.
They didn’t need another Charger… what they need is a whole lineup of a modern version of the K-car platform. Doesn’t have to be little sedans, could be crossovers or whatever, and could be a platform that the whole of Stellantis uses, but that’s REALLY what they need at this point.
What they really need is an Iacocca to save their ass, but what they have isn’t even close
What Stellantis really needs is something that people want to buy. Small, cheap, junky cars are not that (which is why they are all gone from the market).
They might be what we all need to be driving, but that is a different story.
I’m shocked. Shocked!
Well, I’m not that shocked. We all saw this coming. The Hurricane Charger was a moment in “hedge my bets” because as dumb as Stellantis may be, it was impossible for an entity like that to not at a minimum have a plan B for when EV demand stalled out.
Automakers still don’t seem to have a plan to get people, like my parents, into an EV. People who are going to retire in the next couple years, commute less than 5 miles a day, own two cars, and rarely leave the state. Maybe we try to go after the low-hanging fruit of people who might actually consider EVs before making the jump to Captain Stars and Bars?
Something in my DNA makes me fond of a straight six, so this is good news. That’s plenty of engine for me. Bonus points for being a hatchback.
Chrysler rushing a car to market? I’m sure that’s going to go swell.
It’s amazing to me how similar this car looks to a 2004 Challenger — it’s like they just changed the front clip a little bit and decided to go with it.
If this is a huge success for Stellantis, then I expect GM to bring out a new Monte Carlo to compete … probably with a Chinese 1.4L I4t.
The Challenger came out in 2008? In 2004, the closest thing would have been an Intrepid.
The lead image saying gas first is incorrect, the EV is still first, they’re just moving the ICE variants forward again after they delayed them until the end of the year next year.
Frankly they are asking for it.
They could have impressed everyone with an EV that is actually better/cool/fun (see: Ionic 5N).
Instead their entire marketing campaign has been all about “they made us do it, we didn’t really want to, so we are going to do … fratzonic (?!)” … okay. Yeah that’s going to get people real excited.
This company developed the Intrepid ESX2 concept car with government money as part of the PNGV. It had a 0.19 Cd and could comfortably seat 5 adults as a midsized car, getting 72 mpg highway on diesel.
If that sort of platform/body shape had a Hellcat engine, and was RWD, you would never need to end the V8 to meet CAFE standards. And with reduced mass and reduced CdA, such a thing would have performance far more nutty than the inefficient Hellcats we’ve been getting. Dare I say 35+ mpg highway with a Hellcat engine and no hybrid drive is possible.
It isn’t about CAFE, the twin turbo Hurricane 6 is going to get pretty much right on the same exact fuel economy figures as the Hemi (maybe 1 or 2 mpg more on the city cycle, the average will be close and with different real world driving habits and conditions, it won’t be a noticeable difference in daily use), they’re relying on being able to sell enough EVs to make the overall CAFE average work and compensate for the Hurricanes. The real problem is that it was getting tough to keep the Hemi in compliance with stricter emissions standards, especially in CARB states.
Well at least someone over there is at least kinda paying attention.
You could not find a single worse brand to sell only EVs than dodge, it astounds me
One word answers EVERY question you have: Stellantis.
I’m imagining the same cadence with which jerry seinfeld grimaces out “Newman!”
It’s like Arby’s deciding to go vegan.
I still don’t get why the ICE version isn’t a hybrid, at least as an option, and also why AWD is mandatory for those few of us who don’t live on top of a mountain off an unpaved logging track.
Exactly I thought this was a muscle car, if they really need 4 powered wheels it should be part time 4wd, that way you can do burnouts at Cars and Coffee.
Allegedly, there is a button you can push to disable AWD, but that means the driveshafts and everything is still there, you still paid for it, you’re still lugging it around all the time, and its still dragging on mpg, not to mention, I’ll bet you have to hit that button again every time you start the car, because no settings seem to save between trips anymore, for some reason.
I know that there is a government rule that stop/start must reset on startup to keep the MPG bonus.
Maybe the IIHS requires the same for safety features.
A lot of people are convinced they need AWD for one inch of snow, two times a winter.
I don’t need it and I get lotsa winter 5 months of the year.
Yes, I grew up with lake effect snow in Upstate NY. Got around just fine with FWD and usually just all-season tires.
Now, some tires were terrible. But most weren’t.
I’m a bit north of you. I have a set of winters I swap on before the snow flies. Switch back to summers once the snow clears.
Is there a news or information factor here? I have been sipping on a drink I may have missed it.
I have a feeling they will pull a Ford card and get the six nice and distributed *then* release a V8 model later so everyone uptrades.
Happened with the Raptor, similar happened with the Ranger waiting for the bigger engine.
“ the piston-powered Charger”
Do they grind up the pistons to ignite them like gunpowder?
Or did you actually mean petrol-powered….
I’d add to that the current woes with the 4XE- stop sale on the remaining new units included in the firey death recall and a lot of currently unhappy customers may make people who would buy an EV Charger less likely to do so because of who’s selling it.
I’m legitimately intrigued by the sedan version of the ICE Charger because the package is very, very interesting. It’s an all wheel drive sportback sedan with 420+ horsepower from an inline 6. On paper you’d assume it’s a BMW, but alas…it’s a Dodge.
I have little to no faith that Stellantis will execute it well. My fear is that it will wind up being a 5,000+ pound barge with mediocre driving dynamics and that the Hurricane 6 will continue to have issues. But you never know…there is that slim chance that it winds up being a bootleg BMW for less money with classic muscle car styling. That sounds pretty sweet to me.
I look forward to the potential Mustang sedan as well. I’ll have some cool options for my final ICE car in a couple of years. Also if you don’t think they’ve already got all of the engineering to get a Hemi in these done I’ve got beach front property to sell you in Montana. I think it will wind up happening.
If they use this platform for an Alfa sedan it will probably drive amazing, but who knows if the Dodge will. But either way I’m not likely to be willing to risk the likely reliability headaches.
That inline-6 is a bit less efficient than the Hemi V8 it replaces, but it does meet emissions requirements.
I’m disappointed in the Banshee platform. They went for oversized, big, bloated present-day-Malaise. We need a combination of lightweight, trim, and practical instead. The aerodynamics of the new Charger’s body are a significant improvement which will bring us to where we should/could have been in the early 1970s with the Charger Daytona, but we could still do way better…
That is because it is a trade off. Nobody designs the same car to be gas, hybrid and full EV in 2024 except the unserious.
Actually, that would be a smart way to design a car if versatility and per-unit cost reduction are the goals. Imagine a pure ICE L6 and/or V8, a plug-in hybrid, and a pure EV all sharing the same platform and core set of components, with body styles for all of those including a convertible, a family sedan, a minivan, a wagon, an Australian-style Ute, and a coupe. You could have something for every application and desire. The main tradeoff is that it cannot be another massive SUV/CUV/pickup. This is a smallish car by US standards at its largest, and less-than Miata-sized at its smallest.
There you get getting all sensible and rational. Not cut out for the Stellantis family.
That is not a smart way. That is how EVs started but the serious players all moved to dedicated platform. The battery in serious EVs are so big and need to be so designed around a dedicated platform is the only way.
Those “serious” EVs with a big battery are not at all serious. They’re heavy, bloated, unaerodynamic, unrepairable, expensive things compared to what could be produced. Wh/mile consumption of these monstrosities is more than double what it could/should be for the same degree of passenger space, comfort, performance, and practicality.
A serious EV is going to have a sub-0.20 Cd value, a frontal area no larger than that of a Mini Cooper, a curb weight measured in lbs with a 2 in front of it, no tech bloat, and should be able to be repaired with basic tools. A serious EV shouldn’t need more than 150 Wh/mile to hold 70 mph on the highway, as anything more is a waste of battery and represents unnecessary added cost to the consumer. A serious EV should account for the need to be repaired in the future, and you shouldn’t have to take it to a company tech specialist or stealership to fix using proprietary software/tools, as the car should be no more complicated than a golf cart. A serious EV should be able to last millions of miles because there’s no complicated combustion engine and transmission to fail, and no unnecessary tech bloat to brick the car when it fails, with maybe 2-3 battery pack changes along the way(speaking of which, a serious EV should have an inexpensive battery easily accessed for repair or replacement). A serious EV will also be affordable, priced at the low end of the car market, so that people of modest means can afford them if they want one.
In short, serious EVs are designed to minimize environmental impact while also minimizing operator expense. Serious EVs aren’t available in the USA, nor does the auto industry want them to be available.
The best selling car in the world last year was an EV designed from the ground up as an EV. That is as serious as it gets.
Of the pure EVs sold that aren’t from Tesla, the BYD Seagull would be the best selling. It’s $11,400. The auto manufacturers take it so seriously in the USA that they don’t want Americans to be able to buy them. If the USA automakers have an issue with cost, then a multi-modal platform could allow them to increase the production volume of components in order to help with that.
If the automakers here were to get serious about affordable EVs, they’d consider vertical integration in their production as well as multimodal platforms, just as BYD does, with the added consideration of massive drag reduction to keep battery pack size down for a given range. Sandy Munro sees the writing on the wall and is heavily invested in Aptera for this reason.
It’s less efficient mainly because they’re only offering it in a HO twin turbo variant, a more sedate naturally aspirated version would do a lot better. Probably at least as well as the Pentastar’s 30mpg
The Pentastar gets 30 mpg in a platform roughly half as efficient as what could be produced to comfortably seat a family of 5…
So put a Hemi V8 in it, and still not have to give a shit about CAFE standards… Yet they won’t offer that to us. It doesn’t fit the auto industry philosophy of planned obsolescence that has existed for a century…
“ Also if you don’t think they’ve already got all of the engineering to get a Hemi in these done I’ve got beach front property to sell you in Montana. I think it will wind up happening.”
Hammer, nail.