We know electric cars will eventually overtake internal combustion power. The transition is happening quicker at some automakers, but Dodge remains a safe haven for prolific V8 power. That will change when the next-generation Charger and Challenger arrive, despite recent rumors claiming otherwise.
In an email to Motor1.com, a Dodge spokesperson confirmed the next-generation platform will not only lose the Hemi V8, but all internal-combustion engines. The email conversation stemmed from a MotorTrend story stating the Hemi would return for the future Charger and Challenger models. In fact, it will be a purely electric affair.
"The story is incorrect," said the spokesperson. "The Hemi in that platform, as well as that platform, are going away. The next generation will be BEV."
The platform in question is the LX, which is Chrysler's full-size, rear-wheel-drive layout dating back to 2005. The current models use modified versions of the platform – LD for the Charger and LA in the Challenger – that accommodate V6 and V8 engines along with the eight-speed automatic transmission.
It's no secret that Dodge is working on a new electric muscle car. Announced last year, it's expected to debut in concept form in the next few weeks. It will preview the production model currently slated to arrive in 2024, but Dodge CEO Tim Kuniskis previously suggested its arrival wouldn't mean the immediate end of combustion. That's left the door open for speculation, with Kuniskis even saying the new electric platform could coexist with the current one for a little while. We now know that when the present-day Charger and Challenger bow out, it marks the end of a throaty exhaust note.
If there's any consolation for the V8 crowd, rumors suggest the supercharged Hellcat engine will go out with a hell of a bang. A new version tuned to run on power-happy E85 fuel could bring 900 horsepower to the Challenger before electricity takes over.
