autoevolution
 

Electric Dodge Muscle Car Will Be Previewed Next Year, PHEV Production Model Also Coming

A purveyor of muscle cars and utility vehicles, Dodge has come a long way since the reintroduction of the Challenger. Launched in 2014 for the 2015 model year, the Hellcat supercharged V8 engine pretty much defines the brand in the day and age of eco-friendly peeps and zero-emission cars.
Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 11 photos
Photo: Dodge
Dodge Challenger SRT DemonDodge Challenger SRT DemonDodge Challenger SRT DemonDodge Challenger SRT DemonDodge Challenger SRT DemonDodge Challenger SRT DemonDodge Challenger SRT DemonDodge Challenger SRT DemonDodge Challenger SRT DemonDodge Challenger SRT Demon
It’s fairly correct to describe the Stellantis-owned brand as a sledgehammer in a world of scalpels, but fret not. Dodge will be reinventing itself through a plug-in hybrid. We don’t yet know if we’re dealing with the Charger or Challenger, but we do have a hint about the drivetrain.

ZF Friedrichshafen, the company responsible for the 8HP that's known as the TorqueFlite 8 over at Chrysler, has been contracted in 2019 to supply a new type of transmission to Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. Developed specifically for mild hybrids, hybrids, and plug-in hybrids, the fourth-generation 8HP integrates an electric motor with up to 160 kW (215 horsepower) and 450 Nm (332 pound-feet) of torque. Add a pushrod V8 engine such as the 5.7- or 6.4-liter HEMI into the mix, and you’ll immediately understand the performance-oriented nature of Dodge’s mystery plug-in hybrid car.

The automatic transmission will begin production in Germany in 2022 in the lovely city of Salbrucan, followed by the People’s Republic of China and the United States of America. In addition to Stellantis, the BMW Group has also signed a purchase order with ZF for the hybridized tranny.

Based on current automotive trends, Dodge knows that a plug-in hybrid Challenger or Charger isn’t nearly enough. Dodge will sweeten the deal with an electric muscle car in 2022, a concept rather than a production model according to Automotive News. The strip-slaying machine previews the 2024 model teased last month at the EV Day event, a zero-emission brawler that appears to be capable of performing four-wheel burnouts.
If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)

Editor's note: Dodge Challenger SRT Demon pictured in the gallery.

About the author: Mircea Panait
Mircea Panait profile photo

After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
Full profile

 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories