Dodge’s Early Plunge into Electrification Isn’t a Finish Line

Following up on my article regarding the automotive industry’s electrification, manufacturers are also facing pressure from governments prompting their lineups to be fully electric to act in accordance with the plans to ban gas car sales. Dodge, one of the last few brands that aims to appease petrolheads, is no exception. Their Speed Week event broke the news; revealed alongside the new Hornet and convertible versions of the Hellcat Challenger is the Charger Daytona SRT Concept; a futuristic take on the Charger with visual cues of the previous generations. While the concept looks stunning, some were reasonably upset to find that it has gone electric.

Fitting name aside, Dodge already teased the inevitable from July last year, promoting the tagline “Performance Made Us Do It”. Many will doubt that statement, knowing how the brand is perceived to be the last of the few that will take the alternative energy plunge. While other manufacturers attempted to convince that electrification is the future, Dodge’s parent company, Stellantis, continued shoving the Hellcat V8s into whichever engine bay could fit. Be it SUVs or trucks, the brand showed no signs of interest or progress into the trend. One can’t expect people to think that Dodge would hold out much longer with their mannerisms in marketing for performance vehicles. The disappointment is to be expected (weighing in how most viewed the Hornet as well), but at the end of the day, not being able to please everyone is natural, and following laws and regulations to continue operating as a business is prioritized above all else. They were also quite frank with the situations that lead them up to this point before the live reveal of the concept, which will always have more appreciation than not addressing it and/or pretending that everyone is in line with the decisions made by the brand.

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p class=”MsoNormal”>Though it is clear that the glory days of car enthusiasts are long gone, Dodge, at the very least, gave their all in conciliating both their existing customer base and appealing to the government. Not harshly alienating their fans to make peace with alternative energy shows a good approach to an inconvenient state of affairs. Take notes, BMW.