Dodge Starts Production in US Once More
That eMuscle announcement was something else, wasn’t it? Dodge, the only muscle car automaker to last, is finally putting the high-octane burning engines to rest and looking for ways to keep up with the shifting of the auto industry. Just about every automaker is introducing a greener form of automobiles, from regular hybrids to all-electric vehicles. PSA Peugeot CEO Carlos Tavares, the one in charge of Stellantis, is adamant about going-green, and gave automakers like Dodge ten years to go electric or get lost. Apparently, it didn’t take long for that threat to sink in, because during the 2021 Dodge EV Summit, the automaker announced the first all-electric Dodge to be produced in 2024, currently under the moniker of the eMuscle series.
“The reality is those platforms and that technology we used does need to move on…New technology is going to drive a load of weight out, so we can think of the powertrains in a different way. And we can use electrification to really supplement those vehicles…What it isn’t going to be is a V8, supercharged, 700-horsepower engine.” – Michael Manley, CEO of Chrysler Group, 2019
This shift to electric vehicles (EVs) may be sad news for muscle car enthusiasts and gearheads, but this is a dark cloud with a silver lining. The Dodge Challenger and Dodge Charger are built in North America, but by our neighbors to the north at the Brampton, Ontario plant in Canada. It’s been this way since 2008 for the Challenger, 2006 for the Charger. With the automaker now placing a focus on electrification options, Automotive News Canada, Stellantis has stated that production of these two muscle cars will take place in the U.S. going forward. It’s unclear if the Canadian plant will be taking over electrification or other products while the U.S. takes claim.
The good news means Dodge Challenger and Dodge Charger units will be more readily available in America. Consumers will be able to get them faster and with less costs (internationally) now that these two models will be produced in the states. In early July 2021, Stellantis announced that the automotive group would be investing $35 billion in the electrification of all its 14 brands. Many of these are already underway, like the Jeep 4xe models, the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid, and FIAT e500, but it’s still a long way to go for the once Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) lineup. Chrysler has been at a standstill since its award-winning minivan took over, and Ram is going the way of Dodge, looking for every chance to get more horsepower, more torque, before making the change. The Ram 1500 TRX is proof of that.
We have three years before we see the all-electric Dodge muscle car. It should be interesting to see. The furthest the automaker was willing to go before the eMuscle announcement was a plug-in hybrid, currently planned for the Dodge Durango. Making the jump to completely all-electric and still being able to call it a muscle car will be one for the record books. Keep up with the latest Dodge news when you follow us on Aventura Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram social media.